


First Impressions

by castlealbion



Category: Dunkirk (2017), Dunkirk (2017) RPF, Jack Lowden - Fandom, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pride and Prejudice Fusion, Attraction, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hate to Love, Multi, Slow Burn, pride and prejudice au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-03-05 10:04:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castlealbion/pseuds/castlealbion
Summary: The Bennet family is thrown into chaos when it is announced that a certain young English actor is coming to their small Indiana town to film. Mrs Bennet is adamant that daughter Maya is meant for him no matter what anyone else has to say on the matter. Oldest Bennet, Lizzie just sits back and tries to stay out of the crazy.





	1. So it Begins

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help myself. I love P&P and shitty, pissy, stubborn, rude Jack is something, I would pay good money to see. The Bennets will be a bit different both in age and temperament, for reasons which will become clear later on.

It is a truth, universally accepted that a young man in possession of fame, fortune and good looks must be in want of a mate. Whether or not he may already have one, or even want one is beside the point.  
At least as far as Mrs Chloe Bennet was concerned.  
It was a matter of fact that, after hearing the news of such a young man’s impending arrival, Mrs Bennet had already fixed upon him as the property of one of her five five girls.  
“Did you hear the news, Ben? Apparently we are going to be inundated by a movie set or something. They’re filming at the refinery.”  
“Really dear, that’s nice.” He answered distractedly, his eyes never leaving the baseball on tv.  
Not that it mattered to Mrs Bennet who just kept on her tangent, uncaring as to whether or not her audience was captivated.  
“Mrs Long from the bakery, who had it from Harriet at the school, said they booked out the hotel all the way through the summer. What a wonderful opportunity this is going to be for the girls.”  
That caught his attention.  
“The girls? What on earth could this have to do with them?”  
“I was getting to that dear.” she smiled indulgently. “The rumor is, that there is a young man, an actor in the lead who’s single. Tom Glynn - something or other.”  
“I still don’t see what that has to do with any of our girls.” Mr Bennet pumped his fist as the Cubs landed a home run.  
“Really darling, I’m thinking of him marrying one of them.”  
Mr Bennet turned in his seat.  
“Did I die and wake up two centuries in the past?”  
He noted the determined look in her eyes. She was like a dog with a bone when she set her mind to something. One had to tread very carefully in this situation.  
“Don’t you think they’re a bit young to be thinking of getting married?”  
“Rubbish. Lizzie is 26 and hasn’t been out with a man in 3 years!”  
“So let me get this straight. You would have me believe that this young man’s purpose in coming here, other than his job of course, is to carry off one of my daughters?”  
“Don’t be an ass.” she snapped. “But you know he might meet one of them and fall in love. You should go to HR and see if they want extras or some such thing. Get their feet in the door.”  
“I don’t see why I need to go, the girls are all old enough to go themselves if they feel the need. Or you could drag them along. I would watch out though Chloe, you’re a gorgeous woman, he may prefer a cougar.”  
He laughed as his long suffering wife threw a pillow at his head from across the room.. He lived to push her buttons and she made it so easy for him. Sometimes though, he had to nip her grand ideas in the bud, for her own good.  
And that of their children.  
“But Ben, if you go...you’re well respected there and you know how insular these Hollywood types are. If they get used to you then it can only follow that introducing that young man to the girls would feel so natural.”  
“And not at all like the set up your magical mind has planned.”  
“Exactly. Just think, if one of them went off to L.A, red carpets, parties, what a life!”  
He could practically see the dollar signs and stars in her eyes.  
“Tell you what, I’ll send Carl a memo that he can give to this Tom fellow when he arrives. I’ll explain quite clearly that he has my blessing to take off with any of my girls that he chooses. Maybe I’ll even throw in a good word for my Lizzie.”  
“And why should Lizzie get a better advantage than the others? As much as I love her, she’s not half as beautiful as Maya or anywhere near as friendly and funny as Lydia, why should they be considered any less?”  
“Perhaps because Lydia is only 15 years old.”  
“Well obviously I’m not trying to marry her off yet. But the notice of the right people you know, can do wonders.”  
“So you have no qualms about pimping out our kids to these people so long as there’s money involved?”  
“You make it sound so cheap. I just want what’s best for them. And you always favor Lizzie above the others, even though she’s no better or worse than any of them.”  
That was a matter of opinion, he thought.  
“Well let’s face it love, the girls are just regular, silly young women with nothing overly spectacular to recommend them. Lizzie just happens to have a little more gumption than the rest.”  
"Benjamin Bennet, I don’t understand why you are so hard on your own children. I swear you only say these things to piss me off. You never think about my nerves.”  
“On the contrary Chloe, I’ve lived with your ‘nerves’ for the last 30 years. I have the utmost respect for them.”  
She shot him a baleful look. This arguement between them was an old one, as familiar as the sight of one another in the bathroom mirror.  
“You have no idea what I go though.”  
“Well I hope you’ll feel better soon my love, because I’m sure many handsome, rich young men with strangely ambiguous morals will come and visit this town.”  
“It wouldn’t do any good if every actor in the States descended on Whiting if you won’t do anything to help your girls nab one of them.”  
“Chloe darling, believe me, when every one of them is here, I’ll make sure to take the girls to work and parade them around like horses at auction.”  
Utterly disgusted she stomped off, leaving him to finish his game in peace.  
On Friday night, almost a week later, Elizabeth Bennet slammed her novel shut with a sigh as she listened to her mother going on and on about this man. Her ‘rant’ was directed at Maya, having been ‘chosen’ as the lucky woman to attract the hapless Tom.  
Despite it’s obvious ridiculousness, Lizzie could appreciate the thought process her mother’s move. Research had been done, Mrs Bennet could compile a dossier in half the time the FBI could and would end up with twice the information. It was discovered this Tom Glynn Carney was English, (and oh didn’t that just send her mother into spasms of joy) and only 23, thankfully removing Lizzie from the running.  
Mary, her 24 year-old sister would have been a shoo in, had she not chosen the past Spring to develop a taste for Death Metal and the Goth lifestyle. Always tediously outspoken and pedantic, Mary had all of a sudden decided that her sole purpose in life was to play bass for a Marilyn Manson cover band and pierce every inch of skin available.  
Personally, Lizzie thought it was great. For her fairly conservative mother it was cause for valium and smelling salts every time Mary left her room. Just that morning she’d gone and gotten her lip pierced, smiling triumphantly as Mrs Bennet had a fit, deeming her appearance ‘unfit for decent society’. Lizzie had complimented her on the corset she wore so confidently while her father had given her a hug and warned her to ask the tattoo place for a free piercing after every five, just to save money.  
Thusly the net of Chloe’s mechanations was cast firmly over the beautiful and shy Maya, the ‘good daughter.’  
Lizzie winced as she watched her sister trying to study, being forced to focus on their mother every few minutes as she spouted of another piece of advice or idea. Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised if the entire wedding was planned and their children named by dinner.  
Maya took it all in stride, as she always did. She was the sweetest, most even-tempered girl in the world and, though she would not actively participate in ‘The Plan,’ she didn’t have the heart to tell her mother off as the others so often did.  
Lizzie didn’t doubt the ability of her sister to attract a man, they’d been falling over their feet for her since she was a teenager, but she would just smile and go on her way. Very few of them ever gaining her attention and even fewer managing to keep it.  
“I do hope one of this Tom’s friends like the dress you bought, Lizzie, otherwise you bought it for no good reason.” Mr. Bennet flopped down on the couch winking as Lizzie laughed, tapping him with her book.  
“It doesn’t matter what any of them would think since they’re never going to see it.” Chloe snapped, narrowing her eyes at the two of them.  
“I wouldn’t worry about it Mom, this is a small town, we’re likely to see him at the bar, or the beach or even just walking around.”  
“It won’t be the same, besides it’s trashy for a woman to introduce herself to a man on the street.”  
“Mom, you do realize that this is the 21st century right?”  
“Class is class Elizabeth, a lesson that might do you some good.”  
Lizzie’s stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly, causing her to burp as she stood. Everyone except Chloe erupted into giggles.  
“Very ladylike!” she snapped. “It’s no wonder you’re still single, young lady.”  
“Yes, I’m sure that’s it Mom, and nothing to do with the fact that all the men around here are either gang-bangers, fuck-boys or idiots.”  
Seeing a full-blown argument brewing, Maya interjected.  
“What films has this guy been in Mom? Anything we know?”  
“That movie Dunkirk, it came out last summer. I bought it today, shall we watch it?”  
“Sure Mom.” Maya poked Lizzie in her side when she started rolling her eyes. “Let’s do it after dinner, that way Kate and Lydia can join us.”  
On cue, the front door burst open, Lydia rushing in, throwing her backpack in the middle of the living room floor.  
“Mom! Did you hear the news? They arrived! I saw them outside the hotel when I was coming home. A whole group of hunks!”  
“I’m surprised you didn’t catcall them the way you were carrying on.”  
Kate followed her sister through the door, a disapproving frown on her face.  
“I just waved at them Kate. It’s not like I ran across the road to jump one of them. Besides they waved back.” Lydia said smugly, Kate’s face looking like thunder.  
“Of course they waved back, you’re barely wearing any clothing.”  
Lydia plopped herself into an armchair and smirked at her sisters.  
“At least I’m not dressed like a nun. Or a freak.”  
“Lydia!”  
“Sorry Mom. Anyway I saw this Tom guy and none of you have so, I guess I’ll just go call Becca and tell her all about it.”  
She stomped off with all the teenage melodrama she could muster, slamming her door behind her.  
Personally, Lizzie thought Lydia was a spoiled brat with a bad reputation. She was never disciplined, didn’t bother to do anything but the bare minimum in school and she dressed like a stripper.As the eldest, she’d tried to steer her sister but Lydia always ended up accusing her of being an uptight busybody. So she’d washed her hands of it, used to the inevitable embarrassment that came with having a family seemingly intent on making a spectacle out of every little thing.  
Dinner was achieved with relative decorum though Mrs Bennet was constantly sniping at Kate who kept coughing, interrupting her constant planning for Maya’s future.  
“Still though, I don’t know what it will all come to Maya, your father seems intent on doing nothing to help you along.”  
“Mom, I’m sure if it’s meant to be then something will happen.”  
“No, I don’t believe that. Your dad could have introduced himself and been friendly so he could get your foot in the door. But no, and now you’ll never get a chance to meet him and you’ll be alone forever. Kate what is wrong with you?”  
“I’m just coughing, Mom. There was a dog at the office today.”  
“Well for heaven’s sake take a pill or something, it’s getting on my nerves.”  
Lydia sniggered while Kate got up from the table to get water.  
“Mom, I’m sure you’re overreacting about all of this." Lizzie was honestly sick of the whole thing.  
“You don’t get to say another word about it Lizzie, besides we may as well give up since none of you seem to understand how serious this is. I don’t want to talk about it any more.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that dear.” Ben, who’d been silent all evening had been waiting for just this moment. “If I’d known you were going to declare the whole thing a waste of time I never would have had Carl introduce me to Tom this morning.”  
Lizzie didn’t have words describe the noise that erupted from her mother’s throat. Mr Bennet was bombarded with questions about him. Was he handsome? Polite? Charming?  
Mrs Bennet jumped up and down squealing when she was informed that Carl had already mentioned the Bennet family to Tom and his party as potential local guides and helpers. He was apparently quite keen to meet them and had promised to visit the festival being held the next weekend.  
Lizzie quietly cleared the table, shaking her head as the onslaught continued. In the kitchen she took a moment, spying Kate by the sink.  
“I think you can cough as much as you like now Katie.” she laughed, sharing a rueful look with her sister.  
“Poor Maya, you know mom will never let this go. I know she just wants us all to be happy but she’s so….over the top about it.”  
“Well who knows, maybe he’ll be awful and she will give up on the whole thing.”  
“What do you think the odds of that are?”  
“As long as he’s male and breathing, and even passably ‘normal’ I think we are in for the long haul.”  
“You know Lizzie, I almost feel sorry for him.”  
They burst into laughter, returning to the living room under the disapproving glare of Mrs Bennet.  
The movie was started and the entire family sat quietly watching it. Lizzie found herself enjoying it thoroughly, she’d always been a Nolan fan and a bit of a 1940’s buff so she was enthralled from the start. Tom was cute, very young and very much Maya’s type, Lizzie could see the interest in her eyes even though she tried to hide it.  
The wedding venue was picked by the time the handsome Spitfire pilot crashed.  
The flowers by the time Lizzie realised she was crushing pretty hard on the Scot in the RAF uniform.  
When she found herself wondering if perhaps Maya could get Tom to introduce her to his former co-star, Lizzie realized her inner voice was starting to sound like her mother. Shaken to her core she quietly got up and went to bed, furious with herself when she dreamed about him.  
This was absolutely unacceptable.


	2. Asshole Meet Idiot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hot, it's humid and an overcrowded food festival is probably not the best place to meet new people. This is doubly true when Lizzie Bennet literally runs into a very mad, very uncomfortable Jack Lowden.  
> It does not go well.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS PART 2  
ASSHOLE MEET IDIOT

 

 

LIZZIE

Friday dawned ridiculously hot and humid, and Lizzie was dreading the day ahead. Every year she volunteered to help out at the Pierogi Fest and every year she would wake up on the day regretting the decision. But what could she do? Charlie was the main organizer and as her best friend he knew she had literally nothing else to do for the next three days. Besides he could work a guilt trip like no one else on the planet, and he’d always known exactly which buttons to push.

Maya was already in the kitchen when Lizzie stomped in looking for coffee. For the last week 5am had been about the only time she could study without their mother hovering. She was starting to look strained to Lizzie’s eye.

“Want some?” she held up the bag of Death Wish coffee that was hidden behind boxes of granola.

“No thanks. You know I think they recalled that stuff, Lizzie, it can kill you.”

“Can it do it before 7am? That way I don’t have to go today?”

“Why do you always say yes when you hate it so much?”

“Because I’m obviously spineless and I haven’t been able to say no to Charlie since 3rd Grade. He’s my kryptonite.”

“It’s because you’re a good person Lizzie.”

“Shhh, don’t ever let anyone hear you say that, I have a reputation to uphold.”

Maya snickered, turning back to her books. Lizzie sat, sipping her coffee and watching her sister. She really was the best of them, sweet, shy, big-hearted and smart, not to mention gorgeous. Men would stop to look when she walked down the street, and when she smiled it was all over. They could not have been more different, but of all the girls they were the closest, nothing and no one could ever come between the bond they had.

“Lizzie, do you think I’m silly for being nervous about today?”

“The pre-arranged meeting before your arranged marriage? Why be nervous? Your future is already planned, I’m already considering coming to live with you, Tom and your 10 kids.”

Lizzie chortled, thankful that Maya laughed too.

“I wouldn’t worry about anything until you actually meet him May, I mean you may not even like him.”

“I’m just worried that I will, and that he won’t like me.”

“He’s going to love you, one meeting and he’ll be head over heels if he has any sense at all. And if he doesn’t, then poo to him with knobs on.”

“I want you to be there Lizzie, you know how Mom and Lydia get.”

“Text me when it’s going down, I’ll bring food to ease the awkward. Dad said he was expecting to meet up at 7 right? After the parade?”

“Yeah.”

“Well hell, if Tom can still speak a coherent word after that experience then I would say he’s a keeper.”

“Wait till he hears the music.” Maya giggled.

“The perfectly coiffed and quite possibly carved from marble Mr. Glynn Carney, surrounded by thousands of drunks, listening to polka music in Whiting Indiana, with our family. The poor bastard is going to need therapy, which I’m sure you can provide.”

Lizzie waggled her eyebrows suggestively, earning a punch on the arm for her trouble.

“I’m off, I’ll see you later. Don’t worry, he’s going to be drooling at your feet before you can even speak a word.”

Maya blew her a kiss, head back in her books before the door even closed.

JACK

Jack turned from the window of his hotel room looking confused. 

“I’m sorry we’re goin tae do what now?”

“Pierogi Fest.” Tom stated from the doorway.

“Can ye explain tae me what a Pierogi is?”

“Not really, no. I was told that it’s some kind of pasta or dough stuffed with potatoes and cheese, or fruit or whatever. Doesn’t matter, we’re going.”

“So we’re somewhere where they haf a festival fer some kind of stuffed dough ball? And ye want tae go out there and join in?”

 

“Sounded like fun, there’s music, a parade, a beer garden.”

“It’s hotter than the sun oot there.”

“It’s called sunblock, Jack, surely your pale Scottish ass knows that much. Come on, you can’t stay in this room for the next three months.”

“Try me.” Jack muttered, looking back out over the water, the Chicago skyline standing dark against the blue sky.

It wasn’t that he was afraid to try new things, usually he was pretty much up for anything if he wasn’t the one instigating. Even a food festival that sounded so ridiculous that it couldn't be made up would usually be right up his alley.

But that was before. Now all he wanted was to film his scenes and hide away until he could go home. He didn’t want to be around people, except his true friends and his family. Everyone else could just go get fucked as far as he was concerned.

“Jack, it's been a year, mate. You can’t keep hiding away. It’s time to have some fun again. Have some drinks, some food, hell get laid cause you really need to.”

“Ye ain’t goin tae let this go are ye?” Jack sighed, already looking for a clean shirt to change into.

“Nope, now come on. I have high hopes for this thing to be the silliest event I’ve ever been to.”

Tom’s hope for ridiculous was founded from the moment they left the hotel and saw the number of cars in the lots and the bright school buses going back and forth. The main street was closed when they got down a block and Jack could only see a dense sea of people that seemed to go on forever. 

“This is awesome!” Tom shouted over the sound of polka music blasting from a 12 foot stack of hot pink speakers.

Jack only saw thousands of people who would be bumping into him, crowding and crushing him. Sweat trickled down his back making his t-shirt stick to him, he was pretty sure even his jeans were going to be soaked by the time he got back to his room. He hated heat, and this humidity was like nothing he’d ever felt before.

“Oh, shit sorry bro!” Jack staggered as a shirtless man bumped him, sloshing a can of beer over his arm.  
Hell. He was definitely in hell.

LIZZIE

Hell. She was standing in hell. In fact Lizzie was pretty sure that if she turned around she would see actual fire licking at her behind from the pavement.

“Charlie! The soap people were asking if we have any extra fans, their shit is melting.”

“They ask every year and the answer is always no. Did the food truck situation get sorted?”

“Yeah the City guys came and added some extra outlets to the pole. Everyone has juice now. Jesus fuck how hot does it have to be?”

Lizzie went to the freezer in the Chamber of Commerce break room and grabbed a handful of ice, rubbing it over her face and neck as it melted almost immediately against her heated skin. 

“It’s currently a balmy 97 degrees with 70% humidity. It's a gorgeous day, dollface.”

“For you maybe.” she grunted, falling into a chair.

Charlie stood by the door, resplendent in his tie dye ‘volunteer’ shirt and shorts. He didn’t even look like he’d been sweating, even his hair was perfect. Bastard. For her part, Lizzie could have wrung out her bra into a glass, even her damn shorts were damp. Her face was flushed, nose sunburned, even with SPF 50 on and her hair was starting to escape her braid and hanging limply around her face.

Charlie looked like a fucking supermodel while she looked like a hobbit on a bender. It made her sick.

“Stop glaring at me Lizzie, you know I can’t help that I’m gorgeous, it's in my DNA.”

“As someone who’s meet your brother I dispute that fact.”

“It’s the gay gene. I like to call it my Gay Witchcraft, a secret we can never share with you straights. If you don’t have it, you don’t have it. Sorry Sweets.”

Lizzie muttered something unintelligible under her breath, coming very close to kicking him when her stomach started gurgling.

“You mainlined coffee for breakfast again didn’t you? Did you get lunch?”

“When have we had time for lunch?” her stomach gurgled again and Lizzie realised exactly how hungry she was.

“Go get something to eat, I’ll hold down the fort. Get me an elephant ear though would you?”

Lizzie pushed her way out of the chamber and into the dense crowd, making her way forcefully towards the truck she knew was selling the good fried dough. Most people stepped aside when they noticed her shirt and the walkie clipped to her shorts, and those that didn’t, well she had pointy elbows and she knew how to use them.

Elephant ears obtained, she fought her way back to the air-conditioned building, taking a huge bite of hers before turning towards Charlie and crashing into a solid wall of sweaty man.

“Shit! Sorry man, didn’t see you there.” she mumbled around her mouthful of food, conscious of the powdered sugar coating her lips.

There was a grunt in reply and Lizzie raised her eyes up, and up some more, finally landing on a face she recognized, even through the sweat and flush. It was a face that she’d dreamed about several times in the last week, the kind of dreams that made her skin prickle and turn bright red in front of him in person.

Well fuck.

JACK

After a few beers Jack decided that he could see himself having a decent time at this quaintly idiotic festival, if it wasn’t for the heat. He had always liked colder weather, lived for it even. The summers back home were usually uncomfortable but bearable. But he had never been in the American Midwest in summer. He couldn’t for the life of him understand how these people could function. Heat made him sweat, sweat made him grouchy and tired.

And he needed to pee. Crazy bad and every porta-potty had a line at least a dozen deep.

“Tom, mate, we need tae find a loo.” he was a 28 year-old man hopping from one foot to another in the middle of the street like a toddler.

“Yeah, right sure.” Tom laughed, looking around, smiling at every pretty girl who strolled past.

The girls were smiling back too, at Tom not him. Somehow the prick still managed to look like a fucking Disney Prince despite the heat.

“Here Jack, there’s a volunteer, I’m sure she’ll know where you can go.”

Jack’s eyes followed Tom as he stepped in behind a young woman in a garish tie-dyed shirt and jean shorts, hands full of food. Another time he might have appreciated the milky pale skin and trim figure, but all he could see was her swiftly leaving them behind, unconcerned with the misery he was experiencing. Irrationally he felt angry toward the oblivious redhead, blaming her for his current predicament.

He saw her go into a building and groaned, there went his chance at not pissing himself in a public place. For a moment he stood still, people crashing around him, every one of them strangers and comfortable in this place where he felt so completely out of his element. He hated crowds, heat, oppressive noise and he just wanted to go home.

“Come on Jack!” Tom was at the door the volunteer had disappeared into and, as he stepped through it, the feel of the chilled air over his skin was a bliss of almost orgasmic proportions. The woman he’d seen was backing up towards him, her mouth covered in sugar as she chewed something that smelled delicious. She was still oblivious to his presence and it bothered him for some reason he couldn’t explain.

The inevitable collision came, he wasn’t going to move out of the way, wasn’t his fault if she wasn’t looking where she was going. She turned at the last moment, but not in time and she walked into him with a wallop that made his bladder scream in agony. He grunted, hands in the air to avoid grabbing at his crotch to hold the contents in. The woman was small, almost a foot shorter than him and had a mouth on her too he thought irritably. She was apologising and he just wanted her to hush so she could direct him to a toilet.

Her eyes met his through both their sunglasses, her face and neck turning bright red as she stared.

He didn’t have time to be polite.

“Loo. Please.” he loathed the begging whine of his voice but it got his point across as she bolted into action.

“Sure, this way, I’ll show you.”

His teeth were clenched so hard that he couldn’t even manage a thank you as he shoved through the door, his zipper barely opened before his bladder let loose. He wanted to moan, it felt so good and as it was his hand flat against the wall was the only thing holding him up when his legs buckled in relief. Never had he been happier to take a piss in his life.

At the sink he splashed cold tap water on his face looking in the mirror at his slightly sunburned face and bloodshot eyes. He looked like shit and, after taking a test sniff of his underarms, he realised he didn’t smell much better. This wasn’t him at all. He was fastidious and clean usually, unless he was playing football. He didn’t walk around as though he didn’t give a shit and hadn’t showered in anything but his own sweat.   
“Really attractive mate.” he muttered, sighing when he realised that there was still at least 2 hours before Tom wouldn’t fuss at him like an old woman for going back to the hotel for a shower.

Tom was sitting in an armchair when Jack exited the bathroom, looking easy and cool, a bottle of water in his hand as he chatted with two volunteers. They all looked up, the woman silently handing him a bottle.

“Thanks.” he looked at Tom entreatingly, wanting to leave. His irritation toward the volunteer hadn’t completely subsided and to be honest he was embarrassed at almost losing his bladder in front of her.

With a chuckle Tom said said his goodbyes as Jack walked out the door, back into the wet blanket heat.

“Well that was rude Jack. I’ve never known you to be such an ass before.”

“I just about wet myself Tom.”

“That’s no excuse for the way you just acted.”

“I said thanks fer the water.” Jack protested, starting to realise that he had indeed been kind of a dick.

“You barely muttered it, that poor girl was just trying to help, its not her fault that you’re having a shit time of it.”

Jack was silent as they walked through the crowds, if there was one thing that made him more uncomfortable than heat and crowds, it was guilt. And he was feeling guilty about the way he’d reacted to the girl, who had helped him despite his rudeness. It wasn’t her fault that he was crabby and hot, or that his love life was a black hole since Lisa had fucked off. He had simply projected all his misery onto her at that moment, and it hadn't been fair.

He really was an ass.

He thought about going back to apologize, even making it as far as the door before seeing the crowd of people in there, volunteers all looking harried and exhausted. He decided that it wasn’t a good time and that she’d probably had her fill of obnoxious bastards for one day.

She probably wouldn’t even remember him.

Feeling a little better, he actually enjoyed the parade - which was nuts- complete with its precision lawnmower team and Polish buscias who were pinching the cheeks of every young man. And not the ones on their faces either he realised with a blush as a hand grabbed his ass. He would go so far as to admit the event was interesting, but not something he’d really want to do again.

“Jack, it's time to meet up with Ben.”

Groaning inwardly, Jack followed as Tom made his way toward tables set up behind a barrier by a stage. He hadn’t yet met the man but Tom had rather liked him, he’d offered the services of his kids as local guides if they wanted to explore. Jack was adamant that the man had at least one daughter who was close to their age, but Tom didn’t care in the slightest. At 23 the lad was smooth in ways Jack could never hope to be, attracting women just by breathing. Jack had fans, he knew, but in reality he tended to repel women with his grumpy demeanour and bitter broken heart.

Approaching the table, Jack could only see his worst fears confirmed as Tom shook the hand of a friendly- looking older man.

“This is Jack, he’s starring in the movie too.”

The eyes of Ben’s wife lit up as she shook his hand.

“It’s so lovely to meet you both. These are my daughters, Mary, Maya, Kate and Lydia. My oldest, Lizzie is obviously tied up somewhere.” she said with annoyance.

She had the right idea, he thought, noticing the discomfort on the faces of three of the girls. The one who was obviously the youngest winked at him when he looked over which just just made him feel weird.

He stood there awkwardly while Tom struck up a conversation with a stunning looking brunette, Maya, he remembered. The mother looked at him like a cat about to eat a canary and Ben just seemed oblivious to the whole thing. Jack didn’t know what to say to any of them and he was filled with an overwhelming desire to escape.

“Ah, there’s Lizzie and she’s brought food!”

 

Jack turned, and groaned as the girl from earlier came up to the tables carrying an armload of what he assumed were the famous Pierogies.

“Sorry I got held up, some dipshit decided to eat a whole ghost pepper on a dare and I had to wait for the ambulance.”

“Language Lizzie!” the mother snapped, looking him apologetically.

“Gee, sorry mom, should I have said wanker, twat or moron instead?” she said sarcastically. “I’ve been dealing with assholes all day…” there was a pointed look at him and he flushed, “I guess I’ve started to run out of appropriate adjectives.”

Any moment and Jack knew he was going to look down and see himself naked, because this exact scenario somehow felt like his worst nightmare. He flushed darker as Lizzie held out a plate of food, scooting over so there was room for him to sit down. Tom was looking at him like he was mad and he felt a little dizzy, choosing to sit next to Ben. His move didn’t seem to bother Lizzie much as she discussed the day with everyone. She even tried to draw him into the conversation a few times, with resulted in a few grunts around mouthfuls of food.

He was afforded the opportunity to observe everyone, from Tom’s death stares to each of the girls. His opinions were set after a few minutes, the family seeming about as ridiculous as the event they were at, but harmless. Tom looked absolutely smitten with Maya, which didn’t surprise him, the girl was gorgeous. The guilt that had receded reared up again when Lizzie arrived, making him antsy and irritable. She seemed like a nice enough girl, not his type but very pretty, and damn if she wasn’t outspoken and snarky, which he could admire. Especially as it seemed to serve mainly to irritate her mother.

“Elizabeth Erinne Bennet, take those glasses off at the table!”

Everyone winced at Chloe Bennet’s shrill admonishment, even Lizzie who slumped forward over her plate after removing her sunglasses. Jack had had enough. Pushing away from the table he nodded a goodbye, taking his rubbish over to the bin.

“Jack, what are you doing?” Tom hissed, coming up beside him.

“I’m goin back tae the hotel, I’m tired.”

“Come on man, you can’t leave yet, we just met them.” Jack followed Tom’s gaze to where Maya sat talking softly to Lizzie.

“Nothin stoppin ye from stayin, I can make it back meself”

“Just give them a chance, they are lovely.”

“Maya’s a stunner I’ll give ye tha.”

“She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Tom sighed. “And she’s so sweet and…”

“Well stop wastin yer time talking tae me then.”

“Just stay a bit longer, Jack. Lizzie seems nice, freaky smart Maya said. Plus she’s really pretty.”  
“No my type. What could I possibly have in common wi a girl from this backwater who swears too much and can’t even stand up to her own mother?”

True and false, Jack thought in a panic. She wasn’t his type, no, but she sure was a pretty thing and he actually liked the way she talked, she seemed real. But tell Tom any of that and he would have them married by breakfast. So he diverted, evaded, and scorned, proud of himself until he turned around and came face to face with Lizzie.

She’d heard every word he’d said.

God her eyes were beautiful.

A blush rose from his neck to his face as the woman in question stood there and deliberately looked him up and down, a sly smile on her face as she chuckled, turning away. He was batting 0 for 2 and while he’d been making his judgements, Lizzie had been making hers.

And he’d been judged wanting.


	3. Fine Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's an attraction and neither Jack or Lizzie are happy about it at all.

FINE EYES

LIZZIE  
“What an asshole! I mean seriously, what a stuck-up, holier than thou fucking douche canoe. How dare he look down on me. Fucking prick.”

Lizzie was on a roll, ranting as Maya sat quietly on her bed. She just couldn’t get over the gall of the man, his rudeness. Whipped up into a storm of self-righteous anger she managed to conveniently forget that her feelings were hurt. The twinge of disappointment she felt was covered now by fury at the way he’d talked to and about her.

He didn’t know her, so who the hell was he to have an opinion about her looks, or her character, or her choice of language for that matter.

Sitting down with a huff on her own bed, Lizzie looked over to see the far away smile on her sister’s face. Some of the wind blew out of her sails as other events of the day returned to the forefront of her mind.

“Tom was certainly lovely, wasn’t he?” she said with a smirk, watching Maya’s eyes light up. “And handsome, charming, all the good things.”

“Do you think so? I hoped it wasn’t just me. He really is so sweet and funny.”

“And sexy, which always helps.” Lizzie laughed as Maya lowered her head bashfully.

“I can’t believe he sat next to me for so long.”

“I can, that man didn’t take his eyes off you from the moment you were introduced. He’s smitten.”

“Oh Lizzie, he is not, don’t be silly.”

“Of course he is, who wouldn’t be smitten with my smart, kind and gorgeous baby sister? I bet Mom is looking at fonts for the wedding invitations right now...OOMPH!”

The pillow that Maya threw hit Lizzie square in the face as both girls laughed.

“I’m sorry Jack was such a dick to you. Maybe he was having a bad day?”

“Don’t sweat it, it’s not worth the effort to worry about it anymore.”

“Still, it was really wrong of him to say what he did.”

“Yeah. But it just, if it wasn’t me he was talking about it wouldn’t seem so bad. It’s not the first time I’ve been insulted. Remember Kevin from high school? He used to call me fog light because I was so pale.”

“That guy was an ass.”

“Yeah, and I loved him right up until graduation. So Jack’s opinion doesn’t blip on my radar.”

Maya just looked at her as if to say ‘whatever’ and Lizzie shrugged, determined not to let it get to her any longer. Switching off the light, both girls settled down, Maya no doubt thinking about Tom and all his considerable charm. She tried to get comfortable but for her own part, try as she might, she couldn’t get Jack’s words out of her head. As Maya’s breathing evened out, Lizzie couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, and then self-recrimination. She’d felt hope when she bumped into Jack that day, a spark of attraction and his disdain had flattened her. She wasn’t his type. She wasn’t anyone’s type.  
As she drifted off to sleep, Lizzie admitted what she would only ever admit to herself….

That she was lonely.

JACK

“I can’t believe you Jack! Did you have to be such a prick?” Tom stormed through the door that joined their rooms.

Jack looked up from his book, irritated at the interruption.

“Ye ever hear o knockin?”

“Fuck you, mate.” Tom sat on the chair, obviously not about to go anywhere. “That was really low, even for you.”

In honesty, Jack had already come to the same conclusion, he had acted like an asshole and the poor girl hadn’t deserved that. But he also didn’t take too kindly to being reamed out by his younger friend and his hackles rose.

“Tom, fer fuck’s sake, did ye no see the whole thing was a fucking set up?”

“I knew Ben had daughters, Jack. He told me, and he warned me about his wife, who by the way is by all accounts a very lovely woman. I was hoping for a set up because Carl had told me all about Maya and Lizzie and I was hoping to hit it off with one of them. Your fucking performance may have just ruined any chance of that.”

“Good. Tom do ye really wantae involve yerself wi some girl from the other side o the world?”

“If she’s the right one then fuck yes. And Maya is amazing.”

“She’s gorgeous yeah, but what could ye possibly have in common?”

“Turns out, a lot. You find that sort of thing out when you talk to women instead of treating them like objects. You should try it.”

“I’ll pass, I donnae need tae know anythin more than I already do.”

“Like you’d get a chance to now, Lizzie is likely to kick you square in the balls if she sees you again.”

Jack winced inwardly, knowing he would deserve it.

“Well good thing I won’t be seein her again then, me balls will stay intact. Go tae sleep Tom, go dream yer pretty conquest and leave me be.”

“Jack, one day you are going to meet someone who will make you realise that Lisa was nothing, and I hope to God you don’t treat her the same way you just treated Lizzie Bennet. No one wants to grow old alone, not even you.”

Once Tom had left, Jack threw the book aside no longer interested in reading. He had a point, not that Jack would ever admit it. He was an ass, and he made a point of pushing people away. Except for the women who offered him nothing but a few hours of their time. Admittedly he had become adept at escaping into meaningless sex with whoever was offering. They used him as much as he used them and he still felt empty.

For the past few months though he hadn’t even indulged in that form of escape. Maybe he was extra irritable because he needed to get laid. He was fooling himself if he thought that was the case, he was a prick even when he was getting laid. He never called, never stayed, never bothered to even learn their names.

He was secretly heartily ashamed of himself.

That being said, even if he wasn’t a cunt, that night’s ‘adventure’ would still have been met with derision. The family was a joke, he cringed at the thought of Chloe Bennet’s shrill admonishments, and the gleam in her eye when Tom had been so struck with Maya. That look was exactly why he’d sat next to Ben rather than give into the momentary temptation to take the seat Lizzie had offered. He didn’t want the woman to get any ideas about him. The girls themselves he just didn’t understand, obviously several of them were adopted or something, but a more rag tag group he’d never seen. Lizzie and Maya seemed relatively normal but the other three, well they ran the gambit from punk to nun to tart and he just didn’t even want to understand it. They were weird and he didn’t want anything to do with people who might embarrass him in the public eye.

It was just a shame that Lizzie Bennet had such big pretty eyes, he thought as he nodded off.

LIZZIE

More than three weeks went by before Lizzie even had to think about Jack Lowden again and in her opinion it wasn’t long enough. She was still salty, but she kept quiet about it for Maya’s sake. Tom had become a fixture at the house when he wasn’t needed on set, much to her mother’s glee and delight. Lizzie was happy for her sister, anyone with half a brain could see that Tom was completely gone on her. She deserved to be happy, Maya was the best of them, Lizzie couldn’t fault her choice as she already adored Tom.

Tom’s friends though were a whole different story. Jack notwithstanding, (pretentious bastard) their female co-star was apparently an old friend, a stunning woman in her early thirties who treated the whole family as if they were peons beneath her notice. Except for Maya, Caro was all over Maya in a way that made Lizzie ill, but her sister wouldn’t hear a bad word about the woman. Rather than cause an argument, Lizzie had simply stood back, her feelings on the matter secondary to Maya’s happiness.

Coming home from work to find Tom, Caro and Jack in her backyard, however, was not something she could easily hide her displeasure at. It looked like her mother had decided on an impromptu party for Kate’s birthday, which Lizzie knew her sister would loathe.

Sure enough, she found Kate hiding in the kitchen as she snuck into the house.

“How did this happen?” Lizzie picked up the dish that Kate was pulling down from the cupboard and piled it on the others.

“Mom decided to have Dad pull out the grill and then Tom came by, so he invited Jack and Caro, then the neighbors started showing up.”

“I’m sorry kiddo, I know you hate the fuss.”

 

“Doesn’t matter. I’m 18 now so I can finally do what I want.”

“Your plan still to go to the Carmelites?”

“I leave in a week, haven’t told Mom yet.”

“You probably should, Katie, she’s going to be hurt if you don’t.”

“She’s going to be upset.”

“Yes, but it’s not a secret that you want this, and she’ll get over it. She loves you and she’s going to understand that you have to do what’s right for you.”

“What do you think about it?”

“I think that you were never meant for this world, not like that anyway.”

“You always did understand Lizzie.”

“Because I’m the best sister ever.” Lizzie laughed. “I got you something.”

Kate teared up as she opened the small package to see a delicate gold cross, a tiny birthstone for each member of the family dotted along its length.

“Lizzie, it’s beautiful.”  
“So you don’t forget your other sisters in your new home.”

“Girls!” Chloe came in the door, her shrill voice making Lizzie wince. “Stop lollygagging about and get out there. What will our guests think?”

“That we don’t want them here and they should go home.” Lizzie muttered as she walked toward her room to change.

“I heard that Lizzie! You never know who Tom might know so you need to make a good impression.”

“Because so far his friends are such stand up guys, right mom?”

“I admit I can’t stand that Jack fellow, but he may know someone else who’s eligible. Besides don’t you want to prove that you are better than that Scottish prick?”

“Mom!” Lizzie had never heard her mother talk that way.

“No-one insults my girls, I don’t care how famous, rich or whatever they are.”

Lizzie felt a wave of love for Chloe and pulled her into a hug.

“I love you Mom.”

“I love you too, now go show him what he’s missing out on.”

There was no way she cared what that asshole thought of her. No way at all. Still, Lizzie found herself pouting over the frizzy mess her hair was as she tried to tame it. And she pulled out a white top she’d never worn because it was cut too low. She just wanted to look nice after a day sweating in a kitchen covered in flour. That was it. She didn’t give two shits about what anyone else thought.

She managed to avoid everyone except Kate for at least a couple of hours, much to her relief. Not much of a people person to begin with, Lizzie found socializing difficult when she was tired and even more so when she wasn’t fond of the company. For once there had been relatively few issues, and after her quiet talk with Lydia about her lack of clothing, the afternoon had gone smoothly.

Despite Kate’s protests, torches had been lit and music rang forth from the deck. Several guests were dancing and some were even playing ‘soccer’, Charlie included. Lizzie was making her way over to them when his Dad stopped her short.

“Lizzie my girl, we haven’t seen you in ages. Here, young man, trust me couldn’t find a better dancer in this town.”

Lizzie groaned inwardly as he pulled her to where he stood next to the one person she wanted to avoid more than anything. Acknowledging Jack with a nod, she tried to move away, but Mr. Daniels’ grip was vice-like on her arm.

“You know I don’t dance, not since Charlie broke my wrist that time.”

“Jack here says he doesn’t dance either, but honestly, you won’t find a prettier girl in all Chicago to dance with.”

In his defense Lizzie saw that Jack was as uncomfortable as she was as they looked at the people dancing. There was no way in hell that she was going to grind her ass against some guy’s crotch like that, least of all his.

Jack cleared his throat, cheeks pink.

“I mean…..would ye like tae dance at all?”

The pity ask just made her irritated, after what he’d said why would he even think for a moment she would dance with him?

“Thanks but I’m going to go play soccer, I don’t feel like dancing.”

She made sure she was polite, kept a pleasant smile on her face. No-one would ever be able to accuse her of being rude. Walking off though she could feel his eyes on her, a trend that continued as the game progressed. From time to time she would look over to where he stood, usually with a scowling Caro at his side, to see him watching her, face infuriatingly blank.

“So Lizzie-bean, what’s with you and the Scot?” Charlie had his arm around her as they sat on the swing, the game declared a draw.

“What the hell are you talking about, butt-wad?” the bastard was still staring, even when she met his gaze defiantly.

“He hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night, there something I should know?” he waggled his eyebrows, earning him a punch on the arm.

“He’s just trying to intimidate me. I must have hurt his tiny man-feelings when I said no to dancing with him earlier.”

“Bitch are you nuts? Why would you say no that?”

“He’s all yours if you want him, Charlie. The guy is a prick.”

“Baby I’d take him in a heartbeat, just thinking about what those hands would do…”

“Ewwww gross. I do not want the image of that man doing anything in my head. Fantasize silently for fuck’s sake.”

It was close to midnight before the party finally broke up, thankfully so because Lizzie was dead on her feet. Grabbing the soccer ball she snuck away from the goodbyes, aiming for the shed, coming up short when she saw the shadowy figures locked in a passionate kiss against the wall.

Damn Maya, go get him, she chuckled to herself as she backed away to give them some privacy, slamming straight into Jack.

Fuck.

“Have ye seen Tom?”

The man couldn’t even be friendly. Asshole.

“He’s ummmm, a little busy right now.” she turned, realising too late that Jack hadn’t stepped back when she ploughed into him.

For a microsecond everything stopped, the clean, spicy smell of him invaded her nose and her eyes landed on his hands. The image of those fingers on her neck as he pushed her against the wall and his mouth against hers, flooded into her brain and out again, leaving a surge of pure desire in its wake.

Jesus fuck, no. No way this was going to happen.

The moment passed, Lizzie was pretty sure Jack hadn’t noticed a thing so she made her escape, stalking into the house. 

“I hate you, Charlie.” she muttered as she closed the door behind her, resolving to never think about Jack Lowden again.

JACK

How Tom had managed to talk him into coming to this party was a mystery. For three weeks he’d been able to avoid every invitation he’d extended, using ‘learning lines’ as an excuse. Tom knew it was bogus but he left Jack to it. Caro on the other hand was thrilled to spend time with the Bennets, mainly so she could bitch about them to a sympathetic ear afterwards.

Jack never bothered to tell her to stop, he just zoned her out as he had done for years. The only time his ears ever perked up was when Lizzie was mentioned, much to his irritation. Where Caro seemed to dote on Maya, she loathed Lizzie Bennet and made so secret of it.  
Her hair was too ginger, too curly, her skin too pale. She was barely civil, always coming home covered in flour, never showing Caro the respect she felt she deserved. It was petty and mean, but he never saw fit to put a stop to it. He didn’t want to care about the woman who’d so firmly put him in his place, without so much as a word. It still hurt his ego.

And yet, here he stood in said woman’s family backyard with a beer in his hand, wondering what the fuck he was doing, and where she was. An uncomfortable hour passed, Chloe Bennet shot daggers at him and Caro kept whispering in his ear about bad breeding and trash. Tom was so caught up in Maya he had no real idea what was going on.

Then Lizzie arrived.

He knew she worked as a baker so the white dust coating her was no big deal, despite Caro’s smug “I told you so.” He felt an unwanted twinge of disappointment as she went straight into the house, seemingly irritated with the whole thing. Finding himself watching the door for her he went and helped Ben on the grill, disgusted with himself.

He had to admit Ben was a stand-up bloke, simple in his love for his girls and his sports. Jack could respect that. They were discussing the rugby world cup when Jack noticed Lizzie reappear with bowls of salad. He couldn’t help but admire her, hair loose making her eyes look huge. The shirt she wore was cut just low enough to make him swallow, imagining the curves that teased, just out of reach.

Well shit.

A few hours passed, his time spent mostly with Caro or Ben. Lizzie didn’t come near him, which gave him ample opportunity to watch her. That she loved her family was obvious from every interaction, even when she pulled Lydia aside and had her go change. She did it in such a way that no-one but him noticed, sparing the girl any embarrassment. Even her mother was dealt with, an affectionate eye-roll and a hug to quiet her when she started on a tangent about getting her girls settled.

“Could that girl’s shirt get any lower? She looks almost as cheap as that other one.” Caro was in his ear again.

He refrained from pointing out that her halter showed off far more skin that Lizzie’s shirt. That he knew she’d worn it for his benefit made him doubly determined not to point out the difference. Caro was a shark and Jack wasn’t about to let himself get caught in her teeth.

When dancing began out of nowhere he cringed, noticing how quickly young couples started bumping and grinding on one another. He wasn’t a dancer at the best of times, but what passed for dancing in the States just….there was no way. An older gentleman approached him as he twisted open another beer, introducing himself as Lizzie’s friend’s father. He seemed pleasant enough, though he seemed to thoroughly approve of what passed for dancing.

“You younguns have it better than we did.” he chuckled. “We would have been thrown out of any establishment if we’d tried dancing like this.”

“I prefer swing.” Jack answered honestly. “Back when dancing involved some skill and thought.”

“Ah, an old soul. I bet you like Sinatra and old movies.”

“Ye’d be right.”

“Young Lizzie can dance like that, she used to fly that one did.”

“Used tae?”

“Not since…..Ahh Lizzie!”

She looked perturbed as she was all but dragged in front of him and offered up as a potential partner. Her cheeks flushed as she brushed it aside, something about Charlie breaking her wrist. He found himself, just for a moment imagining taking her out there, pressing up against her...rolling their hips together.

The stumbled invitation was out of his mouth before he could stop it, his own cheeks going pink as she looked both surprised and amused. Even with him she was firm but kind in her refusal, preferring to go play football instead. Against his own will he watched her, unable to take his eyes off of her.

Over and over he told himself the same thing. She wasn’t his type. Her family was nuts. She was just some random girl from a backwoods, mouthy and probably not even willing to really do anything other than what she already did. A million reasons why he should look away. Until she looked, caught him staring, and those gorgeous eyes of hers flashed with annoyance.

He couldn’t look away.

“God, how much longer do we have to stay here? I feel like I’m surrounded by rednecks.”

Jack wouldn’t have gone that far, in fact the simplicity of the event rather appealed to him, even if the company didn’t. He didn’t give Caro’s bitchiness the attention she wanted, not even acknowledging she’d spoken and instead sipping his beer as he watched Lizzie kick the ball.

“I see you’re having a marvelous time, Jack.” she cooed snidely. “I bet you’re hoping we don’t get roped into any more podunk soiree’s like this.”

“Actually I’m no havin a bad time. I was just thinkin about how pretty the Bennet girl is.”

Caro made a sound like a strangled seal.

“Really? I wouldn’t have thought she was your type.”

“I guess ye thought wrong.”

He didn’t bother watching her walk away in a huff, instead he went and found Tom, enjoying his and Maya’s conversation until the evening began to wind down. Helping Ben put chairs away, Jack lost sight of Tom and found himself looking around aimlessly. Lizzie came around a corner looking preoccupied, and this time he didn’t mind in the slightest when she bumped into him.

Have ye seen Tom?”

Honestly, he had nothing, he was tongue-tied, for some reason he just couldn’t talk to this woman. She was stuttering about Tom being preoccupied, her cheeks were red and she wouldn’t look him in the eye.

This was going well. Not.

He had absolutely no control over this situation, and he hated it.

She was gone again before he knew it, disappearing inside and leaving him to wonder what the hell was going on.

It was late when they made it back to the hotel, Tom raving on about Maya and Caro snidely poking fun at every aspect of the evening. Especially Lizzie. Jack felt his jaw tic as she launched into a tirade against the younger woman. No aspect of her was left un attacked, from her hair to the way she laughed. Still he said nothing, his mind preoccupied with his own conflicted attraction to her and his dislike for her family and the whole lifestyle of the area he was in. Not to mention the fact that Lisa had fucked him over so thoroughly that he could only see this attraction as an annoyance, something to get over or fuck out of his system.

Somehow he didn’t think that the second option was going to be something that Miss Elizabeth Bennet would go for.

He was so irritated that he tossed and turned, unable to sleep as he wrestled with a mixture of lust and disdain. He was still awake when Tom came crashing through the door at 4am.

“Get up. There’s been a fire.”


	4. Overcrowded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a family tragedy, Lizzie is forced into close quarters with Jack and none too pleased about it, especially not when the bathroom is a shared space.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 4  
OVERCROWDED

 

 

LIZZIE

Lizzie stood on the side of the road watching as her childhood home went up in flames. Her family stood nearby, all crying or near hysterical in her mother’s case, as they watched the fire department try to put out the flames. All she could do was stare in horror as the flames licked and leapt through the windows of what had once been hers and Maya’s room, tears streaming down her soot-stained face.

It was 3am, and the whole neighborhood was out there watching, except for the inhabitants of the house next door. Lizzie knew exactly why. It was their 17 year-old, an entitled little fuckstick named Tripp, who had launched the fireworks from his side yard, and shot one right into the bedroom window. Fat chance he or his asshole parents were going to come out and face any consequences for what he’d done. All Lizzie could do was be thankful that she had been awake, tossing and turning when the thing had fizzed inside setting the curtains ablaze. Thats, that’s all it took for the flames to take hold and she’d barely gotten Maya up and out before the room was engulfed.

The whole family had run out into the street, Chloe screaming as the truck arrived. All Lizzie could do was collapse onto the edge of the sidewalk and watch in horror. Maya sat with her, arms around her shoulders, sobbing. The whole neighborhood was in an uproar as the firemen fought to douse the flames before the whole home went up.

“Tom!” Maya’s sudden cry had Lizzie’s head snapping up to where Maya was running.

Tom had come sprinting around the corner in sweats and a t-shirt, a look of fear on his face until he saw a soot-stained Maya coming towards him. What surprised Lizzie wasn’t his presence but the out of breath figure that slid around the corner behind him. Jack looked like he had literally been dragged out of bed, his hair was sticking up all over the place, he was still zipping up a hoodie over tartan flannel pyjama pants when he came to a stop, looking around at the chaos.

Tom had Maya sobbing in his arms, apparently not caring about the black marks she was leaving on his clothing. Another time the sight would have warmed her heart somewhat, but all she felt in that moment was anger. Anger at Tripp topmost, but just anger at everything. Seeing the person she disliked second most of all right now come around the corner to witness the family’s misfortune was just the last straw. Why the fuck was he even there? So he could gloat and make some kind of smart arsed comment, laugh about them with that bitch Caro later on?

Angrily wiping away tears, Lizzie stood up, ready to march over and tell him to fuck off.

“Lizzie, want to tell me what happened?”

The police chief, Sopo stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

“That little chucklefuck was letting off fireworks in the side yard, one came in through the open window.”  
“Tripp Banner? I should have fucking known.”

He left Lizzie standing, taking two other officers with him to knock on the Banner’s front door. Tripp had something of a reputation around town for being a troublemaker and Sopo was well familiar with him and his family. A typical entitled asshole, Lizzie knew that the brash chief had arrested him at least 3 times leading to his lawyer father getting him off the hook every time. Something about the set in Sopo’s spine as he stood at that door told Lizzie this might actually be the time the little prick would finally have to face up to some consequences.

“Lizzie, Maya can you both come over here please?” Ben’s voice was hoarse with emotion.

The girls moved over, Lizzie not failing to notice Tom standing with them, Maya’s hand in his. She sensed rather than saw Lowden standing off to the side, far enough away for privacy. Well at least she could give him that.

Huddled in a group the Bennet family took strength from each other, quietly making plans. 

“Mary is going to stay at Olivia’s in the city for the time being, it's closer to work anyway. Katie….”

“I’ll go to the convent a few days early, Daddy, they won't mind.” she whispered.

“At least you’ll be close, love and we’ll get to see you often.”

“Lizzie, Maya….you can come with us to your Aunt Lucy’s, I already called her.”

“Dad, is she sure? She only has one bedroom.” Lizzie shuddered at the thought of all five of them living on top of one another like that, in fact she wasn't even sure there would be any way it could possibly be managed.

“We can make it work, love. We have to do what we can. Tomorrow we can go get you girls all some clothing and supplies to keep us going.”

“Actually Mr. Bennet, we can maybe help out a bit.” Tom said, looking sternly at his friend. “We have a suite at the hotel and I don't mind sharing a room with Jack for a few weeks.”

Lizzie could see Jack’s mouth open and then snap shut, his eyes narrowing into a glare at Tom, who studiously ignored him.

“I’d much rather stay at the hotel Dad!” Lydia piped up, earning a sharp look from Chloe.

“No, Lydia, you will be staying with your mother and I. Maya, Lizzie it might be best if you take the young man up on his offer.”

Lizzie’s heart sank. As much as she didn't want to spend the next several weeks sleeping on the floor of her aunt’s apartment, staying in a hotel suite with Jack….no fucking way. The man himself obviously wasn't at all pleased with the idea either, from the looks he was shooting everyone. Her mother’s eyes were excited, at least behind her grief at losing their home, and once glance at Maya sealed the deal. No way would she let her go alone and Maya obviously very much wanted to go. 

With a defeated sigh, Lizzie nodded at Tom.

“Thanks Tom, we’ll be out of your hair as soon as we can manage.”

“There's no hurry, no hurry at all.” he didn't take his eyes off Maya the whole time.

The Scot looked like he was about to choke on something the way his throat was working. Lizzie caught his eye, not backing down from his angry stare. Her look said it all, as did the shrug of her shoulder. Suck it up buttercup, she though maliciously, I don't like it anymore than you do.

It was 5am, the sun was starting to rise and Lizzie watched as the firemen finished with the last of the fire. Miraculously, the living room was mostly undamaged, though the rest of the house was done for. It could have been so much worse, one of them could have died but as it was, only material possessions had been lost. Still, it was a hell of a blow to the gut, to have everything gone, just like that.

It was a silent trip back to the hotel, Maya walked with Tom, of course, and Lizzie held back, arms crossed over her scanty sleepwear. Jack was, somewhere, she didn't care. Sopo had arrested Tripp and ordered Lizzie to get some sleep before going in to make a statement. It all just seemed so surreal, like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from, even though the rough concrete under her bare feet proved she was fully awake.  
She felt something drape over her shoulders suddenly, making her jump. 

“Sorry.” Lowden muttered, moving his hands back from the hoodie he’d originally been wearing. “I thought ye might be a bit...ehm... uncomfortable like tha.”

Like that being half naked in sleep shorts and a camisole, nothing else. 

Stunned, she slid her arms into the warm fleece, zipping it up. It was far too big of course, covering her from neck to mid thigh, which considering the hot temperature was probably why he’d given it to her.

“Thanks.” she murmured.

He acknowledged her with a curt nod and sped up, reaching the hotel a full block before them and disappearing inside.

“His call time is 7am.” Tom piped up as way of explanation.

So? She didn't care, as long as she barely had to see the ass it didn't matter if he was rushing ahead to hide the floral nightie he wore to sleep in. 

There was a folded t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants on Tom’s bed when they arrived, the rest of the suite silent. Tom pulled some clothing from his drawer for Maya.

“I’ll move all my stuff into Jack's room later, but here's something to change into.”

Maya took the shower first, Lizzie just wandered aimlessly about, having never been in the suites of the hotel before. Two bedrooms on either side of a living room area and that was it. No kitchen, and one bathroom. To be shared. With that douchebag. 

Just great.

“I think Jack left those for you, Lizzie.” Tom gestured at the clothing on the bed. “My stuff wouldn't fit you I think.”

Like fuck stick’s would fit any better? And when had this thoughtful part of him suddenly shown up? First the hoodie and then these? 

“Thanks Tom.”

“I'm really sorry Lizzie.”

“Nothing to be done about it now.” she shrugged, trying not to let herself break down. “No-one was hurt and that's the most important thing.”

“What do you think will happen now?”

“Wait for the insurance to kick out and rebuild probably. Mom and Dad have some savings and so do I, plus we all have jobs. It could have been a lot worse.”

He nodded, glancing up as Maya entered. Lizzie couldn't mistake the affection in his eyes, it was plain as day and despite everything, she was glad of it. Wanting to leave them alone she retreated into the bathroom, catching sight of herself in the mirror with a groan. 

Black soot smeared her face and hair, streaked from where tears had escaped and dried on her skin. The braids she slept in were loose and frizzy hair stuck out everywhere. She was an absolute trainwreck. Carefully peeling off Jack’s hoodie she tried to ignore the pleasant smell that wafted from it as she put it aside. He might be an asshole but he sure smelled good.

Prick.

Tom had left by the time Lizzie woke up from a nap, disoriented for a few minutes. Pulling the ridiculously long and far too big sweats on under the t-shirt she stumbled out into the living area, at a loss. Everything, from her phone to her purse had been in the house, absolutely everything she owned, just gone. 

What the hell was she going to do?

JACK

He pounded the sidewalk for almost 2 hours before his call time, anger dissipating into irritation, neither of which he could figure out a cause for. By the time he’d spent the day out in the sun, climbing all over a fucking oil refinery he had worked himself into a right strop. Tom had come on set at lunchtime and let him know the girls had settled in and were sleeping when he left.

That alone had upped his irritation ante 100 percent. 

The fact that he also had to spend a good chunk of the day with Caro’s tongue halfway down his throat merely took the irritation to a new level. He couldn't shake the rage he’d felt when he’d rounded the corner at a run that morning and seen the fire trucks and the flames leaping from the house he had so recently left. 

The hard knot of terror he’d felt upon not immediately seeing Lizzie in the huddle of crying Bennets was something he refused to acknowledge. Right there along with the stab of want he felt in his belly every time he saw her.

Denial was key. 

Which was one of the million reasons why Lizzie Bennet staying in the same hotel suite was a really bad idea. He had no interest in knowing her, he didn't like her at all. She was just an itch that he wasn't going to scratch, nothing more. But having her in his face every day when he was already going to be stressed out at work, that was just going to be torture. He couldn't even look forward to retreating back into the suite at the end of each day and just reading a book or sleeping. Now somehow he found himself sharing a fucking bed with his mate while his girlfriend and her sister inhabited the other room.

The sun was just beginning its slow descent before they called it a day. He was hot, sweaty, he smelled disgusting and starving. Caro had, as expected, taken every chance to push his boundaries as far as their kissing scene went, not even bothering to be subtle about her bitchiness. At one point as they'd had to redo the scene again because he wasn't showing enough “passion” she'd leaned in and told him to imagine she was Lizzie Bennet, before laughing.

So he had.

Caro had been pissed when the director had yelled cut and he’d pushed her back away from him. He hadn't gotten carried away, but he had hauled his co star against him, kissing her until her lips were swollen and pretending she was someone else the whole time. And she knew it.

“Thanks fer the advice, tha really helped.”

He’d stomped off to the trailer, pleased with his own pettiness and pissed that Caro had been able to push his buttons so easily. He was 28 fucking years old, not some moody, horny teenager who couldn't handle himself around a pretty girl. And Lord knew he’d had plenty of practice with lusting after some girl who wasn't interested. His late teen years had been an exercise in frustration and late nights locked in his room with only his hand and his thoughts to ease himself. That he hadn't gotten laid until he went to drama school was something very few people knew, and only one other knew that the girl in question had laughed at his fumbling inexperience before leaving and never speaking to him again.

Well the fumbling inexperience was something he no longer had an issue with, the frustration however appeared to be making a comeback.

“So I hear you have visitors in your suite.” Caro sniggered as she walked in, obviously still in a snit. “Now you’ll be able to appreciate the Bennet girl all the time won't you?”

He didn't even grunt in response, irritated at the constant reminder of his current predicament. 

“I'd try and keep it in my pants if I were you though Jack, I swear they burned down that house deliberately just to get their claws into you and Tom.”

“Fucking hell Caro, do ye ever listen tae yerself?”

She shrugged, uncaring.

“They're trash, Jack. Plain and simple trash.”

Hadn't he pretty much thought the same thing? He couldn't stand most of the family, certainly wanting to fuck one girl didn't mean he liked her as anything more than a warm body, he had thought exactly what Caro was saying. So why then did he feel irate at her words? Why did he feel the insane desire to defend, at least Maya and Lizzie, from the blonde’s nastiness? 

“They just lost everything, Caro. Maybe even ye could drum up some sympathy.”

“How lucky they are that you and Tom just happened to be here to help pick up all the pieces.” she said sarcastically before walking out and leaving him alone. 

Something took seed in his brain, just a tiny sprout of doubt. It really was rather convenient, wasn't it? No, that was just ridiculous thinking. Sure there was some scheming going on...but no way someone would go so far as to burn down a fucking house. Besides he'd seen them arrest the kid from next door. Still, it would pay to be careful, watch things. Tom wasn't exactly a man of the world and he’d be damned if he let someone take advantage of him the way Lisa had done it to him.

The suite was, amazingly, empty when he got back. Not even a sign that anyone else was inhabiting the space, until he entered the bathroom. There it was obvious, there were women present. Shampoo and conditioner, body wash and various other sundries occupied a square on the large countertop. Where he and Tom simply left their stuff in the shower the girls had stacked and organized their things as unobtrusively as possible. Extra towels filled the rack and when he opened the drawer there was a discrete package of tampax. 

He could appreciate the neatness if his mood hadn't already been dark, but all he saw was his space being invaded, his routine fucked up and his life out of his control. He fucking hated it.

Just as he hated the vision that sprang to mind as he ran the hot water, a vision of pale freckled limbs, wet red hair and bright blue eyes sparking with mischief. Under the hard spray of the shower he scrubbed himself of grime, trying to scrub away the fantasy in his head of Elizabeth Bennet on her knees, naked, in front of him. Naturally his body responded in kind, twitching and jumping to life as he gave in and allowed himself to imagine her mouth on him. A groan escaped his lips as he took himself in hand, guilt warring with lust, with lust winning. His head fell forward onto the cool tile of the shower wall while the hot water spray beat down on his back. Biting his lip to muffle his grunts he moved his hand faster, in time with the imagined motion of her tongue and lips. It wasn't going to be long as worked up as he was and sure enough the moment his fantasy moved to those huge blue eyes looking up at him while she drew the length of him into her mouth he was done. His knees buckled as he came, hips thrusting against his hand, breath escaping in pants. 

His eyes opened and fantasy Lizzie was gone, replaced by cold tile and the sobering realization of what he’d just done. The momentary pleasure he’d was eclipsed by the sick feeling in his stomach. Whatever his feelings about her, at this moment she had put her trust in him and Tom to behave like gentlemen and he'd gone and masturbated through a fantasy of her blowing him. He was a creep and he felt like shit. Sure it wasn't like he had never fantasized about women before, never when they were staying under his roof and certainly never when the relationship between them was so, undefined. He would lay money down that the pretty redhead didn't like him, and he had certainly given her no reason to. So why then was this even happening?

Wrapping a towel around his hips he walked out of the bathroom, determined to get the better of his fucking hormones. 

He was no longer alone.

Pulling up short he barely kept hold of his towel as he saw Lizzie standing by the couch, a box in her hands. She looked up when she heard him, eyes flashing with irritation and fatigue as she struggled with opening the thing. 

Jack found himself standing like a deer in headlights, aware of water dripping from his hair and down his legs, mouth open as his cheeks reddened. God he hoped she hadn't been there long enough to hear his noise from the shower. She looked as shocked as he felt, her eyes widening as she realised how undressed he was. 

“Ummmm, I'm sorry. Shit, let me go in there and give you some privacy. I didn't realize anyone else was here.” 

He stood and watched silently as she babbled, grabbing a couple of boxes from the couch and almost running into the other bedroom. Turning himself he felt a small smirk curling over his lips. He’d flustered her, her cheeks had gone bright red and he would have immediately retreated had it not been for two things. One, that she had not taken her eyes off his wet body until the moment she turned around. And two, behind the awkwardness and irritation he’d seen the flare in her eyes.

Closing the bedroom door behind him he allowed a chuckle to escape. For all that Lizzie Bennet disliked him there was something she couldn't hide.

She wanted him.

LIZZIE

 

“Fuck. Bloody hell what the fuck are doing Lizzie? Get a damn grip you idiot.”

Lizzie was muttering all this to herself as she leaned against the closed bedroom door trying to wipe the image of that man mostly naked from her memory. This was not going to work, there was no way she could stay here, not with him. No fucking way.

Her body, traitorous bitch that it was chose that moment to shoot another jolt into her lower belly as she recalled the way the drops of water had fallen onto a wide chest and trickled down a trim torso into the towel that had been slung far too low for comfort. That she'd been surprised at the sparse covering of dark hair on his chest was an understatement given how blonde and baby faced the jackass was. 

She flat out refused to even think about the same dark hair she had noticed streaking down from his navel into the towel. No. No fucking way was she ever going to think about it again. Jack Lowden was a total dick, with no personality and she hated him. He obviously had an ego the size of a continent, the way he'd just stood there wet and dripping, enjoying her discomfort. 

Dick.

Asshole.

But damn if he wasn't fucking gorgeous.

Lizzie stayed in the room the rest of the evening, finally getting the box containing her new phone open and getting it set up. She was going back to work as usual the next morning so it was easy to beg off eating with the others. It was absolutely because she had to be up at 4am and nothing to do with avoiding anyone, she told herself as she lay in bed, stomach churning with hunger.

Somehow she managed to drift off to sleep before Maya even came to bed, exhaustion won out over unwanted desire, at least until right before the alarm went off. Once asleep there was nothing Lizzie could do to stop the thoughts running through her mind and top of the list...a certain asshole in only a towel. Except in her dream, instead of standing there as he had, he’d crossed the room in a few strides, dropping the towel along the way, allowing her a few seconds to enjoy the view of strong thighs and well shaped calves before he pounced. 

A dress she didn't own was yanked up as her legs wrapped around his waist, his body holding her up against the bedroom door. She could feel him against her, hard and hot as she rolled her hips desperately. His breath was hot and heavy in her ear as he lined himself up, her nails leaving red scratches down his back, back arching in an attempt to meet him.

Lizzie bolted upright in bed, the alarm chirping in her ear and she struggled to catch her breath. 

What the fuck had that been? 

Quickly turning off the noise before it woke Maya, she quickly grabbed the new work clothes she'd bought the day before and tiptoed out to the living area and into the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror she actually contemplated make up, the dark circles under her eyes were so pronounced. A pink flush had spread across her cheeks and down her neck, even over her chest, residual from the fucking dream. With a sigh she splashed cold water on her face trying to ignore the desperate throb between her thighs. 

It was just a dream, and she hadn't had sex in four years, that was the only reason for it. It could have been any attractive male body on display and she would have had the same reaction. It wasn't Jack at all, just that he was male. There wasn't time for a shower, so she couldn't take care of it like she normally would and besides the thought of willingly getting herself off to the thought of that prick was just….no. It wasn't going to happen. 

She gave herself a stern talking to as she dressed, re braiding her hair and yanking on the jeans from the thrift shop. The situation with the house had gotten her thinking, it was maybe time to get her own place. Kate was gone and Mary practically lived with her girlfriend. Her parents could easily find a smaller place to buy and save some money from the insurance for something else. It was time for some independence and for Plan B since Plan A had been a fucking disaster.

She made a mental note to look into rentals in town after work before quietly heading out into the dawn sunshine. Her boss was amazed that she had come in and quickly set about trying to make her feel better. The older woman was lovely and kind, Lizzie was lucky to have her as an employer. She was one of few places in town that paid well, or offered benefits and Lizzie got all the hours she wanted, or didn't depending. There had been a lot to learn but 4 years after starting, Lizzie was an accomplished baker and people would come from miles away just to eat at the bakery. It was something to be proud of, but it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life.

When 2pm came around Lizzie was happy to hang up her apron, half the fucking city had come in to see if the family was ok, dropping off various things they might need or want. She was thankful, especially when the mayor stopped by with a huge bag of brand new school uniforms in Lydia’s size, along with all the supplies and books she had lost, including a Chromebook. 

That he handed her a check for $5000 from community donations was overwhelming. She knew the man well, having worked and volunteered for the city in some capacity since her first summer job at 15. But this, this was just. Tears welled up as she collapsed, sobbing into a chair, her boss clucking around her like a mother hen, the mayor hugging her shoulders. 

She never even noticed Jack walk in, take stock of the scene in front of him, and walk out again.

JACK

Jack was emboldened by his newly discovered belief that Lizzie was at least attracted to him. Ignoring the obvious ego boost he felt having a lovely looking woman desire him he wondered if there might be a way to scratch this particular itch after all. A night or day spent rolling around in the sheets with that woman was certainly what the doctor ordered and he had a feeling the little redhead would be a firecracker in bed. It would be just the thing to get her out of his system and get him back on track.

With that in mind he spent most of the morning reading, only getting up to go out when he noticed Tom sneaking from their room into where Maya was sleeping. From the giggling and then sighing coming through the door he made the decision not to stick around for the inevitable action and was out the door before he could hear anything else.

Walking through the streets of the tiny city alone for the first time he realised it wasn't altogether an awful place. The beach and the park were busy even for a Monday and people milled up and down the main street looking at the stores and cafes. It was a well maintained place and the locals seemed happy enough. He still couldn't shake his distaste in general for the area. It was pleasant but it didn't have the vibrant, exciting feeling of London or the quiet, timeless beauty of Edinburgh. There was no natural beauty here, no mountains, no feeling of magic and history. He felt like he would lose a piece of his soul if he spent too much time here. 

He loved London, living there was convenient for his profession and he loved the excitement of it. Living in the flat he had bought had been difficult the past year, since he’d thrown Lisa out. They had picked it out together with bright hopes for the future. Look how that turned out, he thought darkly. Since then London had lost some of its luster and he found himself longing more and more for home. Could he move back without hurting his career? Certainly. He couldn't explain why he hadn't done it yet, it just never seemed like the right time. There was some time off coming up after his next job in L.A, a good six months where he could sit down and decide what the fuck he was going to do with his mess of a life.

Catching the sign for a cafe on the way back to the hotel, Jack decided to grab a coffee. There seemed to be a small crowd of people around a table when he pushed the door open. A kind looking older man looked up at him as he entered, his arm around the shoulders of a sobbing…..

Elizabeth.

His heart twisted as the implacable Lizzie cried, her body wracked with sobs, a piece of paper in her hands. Immediately he felt intrusive and uncomfortable. Whoever these people were he wasn't part of them, wasn't welcome in the circle of people who obviously cared for this woman. Squashing down the completely irrational desire to rush over and both comfort her and murder whoever made her cry like that, Jack simply turned around and walked out.

Leaning against the side of the building a few minutes later he noticed the older man coming toward him.

“You're one of our VIP guests, right? Jack. I’m Mayor Joe, how are you liking our little city?”

So the Mayor was someone who Lizzie knew well, he added that knowledge to the police chief who’d addressed her like a friend at the fire. 

“Em, I havena got tae see too much yet, but ye seem tae have a lovely town.”

“We take a lot of pride in it, a little oasis away from the big city.”

Yeah ok whatever, Jack thought. He didn't want to get into a conversation about the pros of Whiting, Indiana, he wanted to know why Elizabeth Bennet had been crying in the arms of the fucking Mayor.

“I understand from Lizzie that you let her and Maya stay with you for a while? That's a very nice gesture from an almost stranger, thank you.”

“Is nothin.” he mumbled, inwardly wincing under the man's intense gaze.

“No one from town stepped forward to offer their homes, so yeah, I would say it's something. I've known Ben since high school, and that girl in there….since the day she came home, all big eyed and shy, running all over the place…”

Wait...what?

“Ben and Chloe brought her to meet me and she didn't say a word, just crawled up into my lap and fell asleep. I’m practically her father.”

The warning was implicit, the edge of steel under the man’s kind voice unmistakable. Fuck with that girl and you are toast.

Swallowing, Jack tried to play it cool.

“I didna realize tha Lizzie was adopted too, I thought just the three middle ones.”

“All five of them, Chloe Bennet couldn't have children so they adopted. Anyway, must get back to work, enjoy our city, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie.”

Jack walked back to the hotel on autopilot, brow furrowed. What was it about this place? Everytime he got a handle on the situation something happened to make him rethink. How awful could a woman who adopted 5 daughters be? But then again what wouldn't she be willing to do for them? For the first time he found himself curious, he wanted to know more. 

The sight of Caro sitting on the couch in the suite when he walked in brought a sour taste to his mouth.

“Wha are ye doin here Caro?”

She pouted, the effect somewhat ruined by a full face of makeup and the malicious amusement in her eyes.

“Tom went with Maya to meet the other one at the Aunts...family meeting or some such shit. I didn't want you to have to eat alone.”

“I prefer tae eat alone.”

“You're just saying that cause you're mad I teased you about your little crush.”

No, it's because you're a snide, manipulative bitch who would walk over her own mother to get ahead, he thought, glaring at her. 

“I'm goin tae the other room Caro, don't be here when I come back out.” he stalked off to his shared room, closing the door firmly behind him. 

He knew he was being awful, he'd known for years what Caro was, and as the daughter of his Mum’s best friend he put up with her. Lately though it was getting harder and harder to hide his feelings. He was just so tired, of her, of the heat, of everything. Tired of pretending that Lisa hadn't gutted him when she'd cheated, tired of everyone wanting a piece of him. It never stopped. He never stopped hurting.

Laying down on the bed for a moment, Jack closed his eyes, intending just a few minutes of quiet. He was asleep in seconds, his dreamstate imagining a world where arms wrapped around him tightly while he slept, where, just once, he didn't feel lonely.


	5. Cabin Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is on edge, Caro forces Lizzie to say some less than ladylike things and there is a brief moment between Jack and Lizzie that has at least one of them running scared.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 5  
CABIN FEVER

 

LIZZIE

Two weeks into their “visit” at the hotel and Lizzie was about ready to commit homicide. On any given day the person on the top of her list would be someone different, but it was usually one of two people - Jack or Caro. Mostly it was Caro, which was surprising seeing as she was never outwardly hostile like Jack was. But Lizzie could appreciate honesty, and the miserable sod made no secret of his continued dislike of the situation.

Caro was constantly simpering and condescending, which never failed to rub Lizzie the wrong way. The older woman latched onto Jack like a mosquito which, to Lizzie, was vastly amusing as the Scot obviously thought her nothing more than an annoyance. She would have felt sorry for the woman if she wasn’t such a snide bitch.

Another awkward night was being spent in the suite, after dinner. Caro was there again, as she was every night, even though Jack pointedly spent the entire evening on his phone, Tom and Maya were cuddled up on the couch and Lizzie was reclined in a chair by the door, reading. Several times throughout the evening, she’d felt his eyes on her and looked up as he turned away, a perplexed and irritated look on his face. Caro had also spent time looking at her too, except she wouldn’t look away, just smiled maliciously.

Fuck you both, Lizzie thought as she turned another page. There was half an hour before she could go to bed without Maya chiding her for being rude and she was literally counting the minutes. Jack had spent the better part of an hour pacing back and forth by the window, just within Jack’s line of sight, sighing dramatically and stretching. To his credit, Jack had done little more than grunt at her all evening, flushing when at one point he glanced up to meet her smirk. It would be amusing if the whole thing wasn’t so sad.

“What are you even doing Jack?” Caro finally ground out, leaning over the side of his chair, chest on display.

He didn’t even look up.

“I’m talkin tae Georgie.” he muttered.

“Ohhhh, how is the poor dear? Is she recovered from that awful illness and back at school?”

Lizzie could have sworn she saw the man’s jaw tic.

“She’s fine, Caro.”

“I saw that piece she painted for the school exhibition, really remarkable. Tell her it was one of the best I saw.”

“Maybe next time, it’s 2am over there.”

Caro pursed her lips and looked up, Lizzie could feel her eyes like a burning itch on her forehead.

“You should be proud of her, Jack. It’s amazing the talent she has at just 17! Painting, writing, all those extra classes she takes, so different from sooo many others I know.”

Lizzie felt her lips twitch, that was an obvious dig. She also wasn’t going to justify that with a response. Caro wouldn’t know that she had a Master’s Degree, or that she was fluent in several languages. Let the bitch believe that she was just some uneducated hick, it was no skin off her nose.

“Wasn’t there that one New Year’s, Jack? When we all rented that place on Skye and you and Andy made your list of the perfect woman?”

“Fucked if I know.”

Lizzie looked up in time to see the man’s cheeks turn red as he squirmed in his seat. He did not like this subject at all.

“I remember, Andy was going on about some leggy blonde he’d hooked up with and you piped up with your ‘list’”

“I’m pretty sure I said I wasnae attracted tae blonde women.” he snapped.

Oh, that had to hurt, Lizzie thought as Caro’s eyes flashed. Something told her that Jack was going to pay for that, and sure enough, she didn’t have to wait long.

“I remember you said you would never date a girl who wasn’t fit, with clear skin, had to have a rack, had to have a job that was more than fast food or service, she had to have a degree or be getting one, oh and she had to be hot, and good in bed and willing to perform oral sex on demand.”

Lizzie’s brows rose as she took in Jack’s thunderous face and for a moment she thought he might actually punch the woman.

“Gimme a fucking break Caro, I was 21. And I recall that your only three requirements for a partner were hot, rich and famous.”

“What about you, Eliza?”

Oh, the bitch was not trying to drag her into this.  
“What about me?” she yawned, turning the page.

She saw both Jack’s chuckle and Caro’s glare out of the corner of her eye.

“Do you have any requirements in a partner, or would you just take the first man with a full set of teeth and his own trailer?”

“Caro!’ Jack said sharply, surprising her.

“It’s ok.” Lizzie stood, rage simmering under the surface, determined not to let her see her get mad.

Maya and Tom had disappeared at the first sign of trouble, probably for the best, in Lizzie’s opinion.

“Caro, you should probably add too old to get you pregnant, or close to death, a baby would ruin your figure at your age.”

Jack barely managed to cover a chuckle with a cough.

Lizzie turned on him next.

“And you, you forgot to add a few things to yours too. Don’t forget that you prefer your women not to swear, oh and you’d rather they cause a scene when someone else is behaving badly.”

That shut him up.

“As for me, I’m just a simple, small-town girl so all I need is a man who isn’t arrogantly self-obsessed and full of disdain, who treats me like a partner, no matter what my education level is.”

Lizzie stood in the doorway to the bedroom, facing the two of them. Caro was fuming and Jack at least had the good grace to look embarrassed, though she could tell he wanted to argue. Not about to give him the chance, she started to close the door, then stopped.

“Oh, how could I forget. To use your words Jack, I’m also not attracted to blondes.”

With that she slammed the door behind her, satisfied with the shocked look on Jack’s face. Yes, her response might have been stooping down to their level, but sometimes a woman just couldn’t not react when under such an obvious attack. Honestly them were peas in a pod, she thought viciously as she lay down, knowing Jack would be spending the night on the couch.

She couldn’t wait to be out of there.

 

JACK

Jack couldn’t speak for a full minute after Lizzie slammed the bedroom door. Caro was, full of her usual diatribe about the younger girl’s attitude and rudeness, conveniently forgetting that she herself had started the whole thing, just to draw Lizzie in. He honestly thought that Lizzie’s response had been perfect, at least how she had responded to Caro.

He didn’t want to admit that he was still bristling about what she’d said to him. The fact that she’d so coldly looked him up and down while repeating his own words had brought him up short. In the week since the shower incident he’d rarely seen her. Her work hours were crazy and she spent all her spare time helping her parents. The only time he ever saw her was when they all ate, and while he was still certain of what he’d seen in her eyes that day, the woman was implaccable, she gave up nothing.

Jack had found his efforts at getting to know her frustrated at every turn, either by her or Caro. The blonde was on him constantly, in fact he was sure she would follow him into the bathroom if she could have. It was ridiculous and his irritation was rising more with every passing day. Never before had he been so eager to finish a project, he just wanted to go home and be rid of Caro. The time had come to let his mother in on a few home truths about her friend.

Caro left after a few minutes, knickers in a twist at both Lizzie, and at him for ignoring her, leaving him with a lingering feeling of claustrophobia. If he was honest with himself it had little to do with the girls being in the suite. Lizzie was rarely there and Maya was so quiet, it never felt like they were intruding. Except on his ability to think with his brain rather than his libido. 

It was Caro that left him feeling hemmed in and trapped, she had ever since he'd turned 18 and gotten the Irn Bru gig. She had latched on to him from that moment and then his friends in quick succession, Caro wanted to be famous, Hollywood famous. Apparently she currently thought he was her ticket to that.

He hated feeling used, hated being used. Perhaps that was why he was so bitter now, people had done nothing but use him for years and he was so sick of it. Lizzie Bennett didn't seem to fit into that, though he was fairly sure most of her family did. Apparently he had nothing that she wanted, be it fame, money or even conversation. He was certain she was attracted to him but it obviously annoyed her and she was never going to act on it. If anything that just made him even more interested.

God, why was his life such a mess?

Going to the bathroom he splashed his face with cold water, looking at his face in the mirror.

“Get a fucking grip, man.”

He was 28, a grown ass, successful man and yet he felt like a moody teenager. He certainly felt like one around Lizzie, he could barely open his mouth for fear of what might come out. Or he simply clammed up in the face of her obvious disdain. At one point he had been able to charm a woman with a smile, this one simply narrowed her eyes and got as far away from him as possible. He really needed to think about whether his burgeoning feelings for her were real or if they were just because she was someone he couldn't have.

When he exited the bathroom he took note of the pillow and duvet that now sat folded on the couch. She may not have liked him much but she was still a kind and thoughtful woman. Caro certainly never would have thought to leave out something for him to sleep with, least of all when angry.

Maybe there was hope after all.

The couch wasn't exactly comfortable for his long frame and when he heard Lizzie moving about at 4am it felt as though he had only just gotten to sleep. He watched her through lowered lashes as she did her best to get ready for work quietly. When she stubbed her toe and bit her tongue to keep from telling he decided enough was enough.

“Ye can turn on the light, Lizzie, I'm awake.”

She jumped, spinning to face him where he stretched off the ends of the couch.

“Fuck, I'm sorry, Jack. I was trying to be quiet.”

“Ye were, I was already awake, ye donae haf tae worry.”

She simply nodded, going into the bathroom while he watched her.

He wondered if she ever took her hair out. So far he had never seen her without it being up, braided or hidden and he was finding he had a strong desire to see exactly how long all those red waves were. Which lead instantly to a vision of her leaning over him, a smile on her face as her hair flowed around his head, his hands gripping at the bare skin of her hips…

“FUCK!!!!”

Sitting up on the couch, he wrapped the blanket around his waist, running his hand over his face. He wasn't a fucking teenager and this was getting ridiculous. Lizzie must have heard him, a scowl on her face as she passed him. Unconsciously he gripped the blanket tighter, not wanting her to see the predicament his traitorous hormones had put him into.

“You can have your room back tonight.”

“Yeah, Carney snores, I’ll pass thanks.” he chuckled.

He was heartened to see a wry smile cross her mouth.

“So does Maya and I've shared a room with her since I was 3. I meant I won't be here overnight again, sorry you ended up on the couch.”

Wait. What? 

“Yeah donae haf tae leave, the offer is still open.”  
He was panicking now, what had happened? Where was she going to be sleeping? With who? How could he make her stay?

“Tom made the offer Jack, don't try to pretend you were happy about it. But thanks for allowing it, it is appreciated. I signed an apartment lease yesterday, so I'm moving in today. And my parents rented a house, so Maya can go home in a few days. You’ll be free of us.”

“Why did ye no say anythin?” he couldn't help the irritated pitch to his voice.

If she left now….he wanted that, right? Wanted her out of his head so he could concentrate. She was nothing to him.

So why was his heart clenching up like this? 

“I wasn't aware I needed to pass my decisions past you, you aren't my mother.”

Her eyes flashed, pale skin flushing with anger.

“I dinae mean it like tha, Elizabeth.” He sighed. “Tom and I don't haf tae be on set today, would he like some help?”

She just stood there staring at him as though he’d grown an extra head.

“Help?”

“It's no a trick question. Would he like some help gettin yer things intae yer new place?”

“Sure, but you don't have to. I told you that you were free of at least me.”

“I don't mind, and Tom won't either.” He said softly.

She nodded slowly, grabbing her bag from the closet by the door.

“Ok. I’ll come back here after work then.”

Ok. His heart stopped it's frantic race. She was coming back, there was still time. For what, he didn't know but he knew he couldn't just let her walk away.

He heard the door click back open and looked back up to see her head poking around it.

“Thank you, Jack.”

And she was gone.

LIZZIE

This had to be the longest work day that she had ever experienced. Normally she was able to go in, do what she had to and stay hidden in the back. But two people had called out sick and Lizzie had been thrust into the role of cashier/server/punching bag. There was a reason she had never taken a higher paying customer service job...she hated customers. After the 5th complaint from an entitled dick who couldn't seem to grasp the concept that making him a latte in the middle of the lunch rush was going to take time, she couldn't hide the rolling of her eyes any longer.

By the time it died down and her relief came in she was in a foul mood. She stomped all the way back to the hotel, scowling as she muttered under her breath in curses. It didn't help that she was going to be stuck with Jack all afternoon before she could politely tell everyone to fuck off and leave her alone. 

Shoving open the door to the suite, Lizzie stopped short when she noticed Maya, Jack and Tom all sitting on the couch with a ton of Chinese food spread out before them.

“Oh good, just in time.” Maya jumped up to hand her a bottle of ginger beer. “Jack said he saw you serving customers today, we thought you could use the pick me up.”

She looked at Jack questioningly, only to get a shrug in explanation. What had he been doing that he'd happened to see her at work? She wasn't likely to get an answer from the steely faced jerk either. With a sigh, she sat down on the floor, shaking her head when Jack offered her his place on the couch. 

Maya knew her too well she thought as she dug in. She would have known there had been no lunch break and that hungry Lizzie was extra pissy Lizzie. She also knew all her favorite dishes and as the food hit her stomach she felt the bad mood dissipating. Finally almost full, she felt more like herself. Seeing Jack’s fingers reaching for the last potsticker she rapped his knuckles with her chopsticks.

“Ow! What the hell was tha?”

“Mine.” She growled.

“Since when?”

“Since I decided I will stab you in the heart with my chopstick if your fingers so much as touch that potsticker.”

“Where are ye even goin tae put it? I think yer legs are full.”

“Oh har har. Did you come up with that one all by yourself?”

“Maybe you guys could, um, split it?” Tom piped up tentatively while Maya dissolved into laughter beside him.

“I don't share!” Lizzie shouted, in unison with Jack.

She looked at him and couldn't help herself. The laughter was fast, and hard, exacerbated by Jack’s slightly high pitched guffawing. He snorted, his front teeth showing and Lizzie lost it, laughing till her sides hurt and tears were streaming from her eyes.

Poor Tom just looked confused as the three of them made it to almost hysterics before beginning to calm down. With laughter still bubbling in the back of her throat, Lizzie sliced the offending dumpling in half holding out one side to Jack, who was wiping tears from his own eyes.

“Here, consider this payment for helping me this afternoon.”

He took it from her with a wide, smile, the likes of which she had never seen on his face. 

“Thanks luv.” He winked, popping it into his mouth.

Woah. What the hell was that? In that small moment when he smiled her heart had stopped and when he'd winked, an arrow of heat had shot through her. 

No. Absolutely not. No fucking way. He was a dick. One smile wasn't going to change that. He was only helping today because it would mean he would be rid of her irritating presence. No way was she even going to allow a moment to indulge this bullshit.

With narrow eyes she glanced at him, he was still smiling at her. Her breath was having trouble working. Shaking her head she got up abruptly.

“I'm going to change. I'm supposed to pick up the truck at 2.”

Hiding behind the closed door of the bathroom she let out the breath she'd been holding.

Why did he have to be a gorgeous asshole?

Changing quickly into old shorts and one of Charlie's old t-shirts she came out to see the table all cleaned up and the others waiting for her. She avoided Jack's gaze like the plague as she grabbed her bag from the bedroom, packed the night before. 

“Are we using Charlie's truck?”

“Yeah, and Charlie too if he knows what's good for him. He owes me for Pierogi Fest.”

The path to Charlie's led them straight past where their house had stood. There was just an empty lot there now, groundbreaking for a new, smaller home would start the next week. Lizzie shivered, stopping to look at the space. It was wrong not to see the house she'd grown up in standing there, her mother's roses in bloom, her favorite rocking chair on the porch. It honestly felt like her whole childhood had been erased.

“Are ye ok?” Jack's voice beside her.

“Yeah, it's just weird, you know.”

“I honestly can't imagine, but I am sorry.”

Lizzie turned in surprise, meeting his blue eyes, seeing the sincerity there.

“Thanks.”

Who the hell was this guy, because he sure wasn't the Jack Lowden she had come to know.

“We should go.” She nodded over to Maya who was snuggled against Tom's side.

A pang shot through her, one she pushed down, back into the depths of her feelings. She didn't have time to feel lonely, or to crave a connection like that. It wasn't worth it, at least not to her...been there, fucked up royally. 

Walking ahead of everyone else, Lizzie wrapped her arms around her waist, the edges of her mood tinged with sadness. With a deep breath she tried to shake it off, this was a huge deal. She should be happy.

So why wasn't she?

JACK

He wasn't stupid. 

Something had happened in the small amount of time since Lizzie had arrived after work. The look on her face had been enough to make him want to wither and die on the spot. That was not a happy woman walking through that door. She hadn't looked happy when he'd meandered past her job earlier and he'd caught a glimpse of her through the window.

He knew Tom was curious about why he'd been there in the first place but thankfully Maya’s reaction to his statement had kept him from asking questions. When he'd questioned what he thought was a bit of an over reaction to Lizzie’s position as waitress, Maya had quickly put him in his place.

“You don't understand, Lizzie has this thing, she can't cope if her schedule is thrown off...it’s kind of like OCD but it isn't. It's control. She can handle most situations if she knows it's coming, but if she's unprepared she sometimes has these panic attacks.”

“ I donnae understand.”

“You don't need to, this probably won't be bad because it's happened before. She’ll just need to recharge. Don't say a word to her about it.” She whirled on him, finger pointing in accusation.

“Wasna goin tae.” He muttered, still wondering what the fuck was going on.

Wisely he kept his mouth shut as they ordered Chinese food and waited for her to arrive. There was a moment as they all ate when the anger was clearing and he saw something in her eyes, something haunted that hadn't been there before. Then it was gone and suddenly she was threatening to stab him in the heart. 

The fake fight that followed and the laughing, that's when something changed. For that brief time she wasn't scowling at him, or looking at him disdainfully. She was smiling. At him. He liked it. 

He hated the way she escaped, moments after he'd winked at her. Even more he hated the way she avoided his gaze and the shuttered look in her eyes as they all walked toward her friend's home. He could almost see a physical veil of sadness falling over her as she stood and looked at where her home had been. She would have shrugged him off if he’d tried to touch her so instead he'd opted for a question, and he was glad when he saw the grateful look in her eyes. 

He also didn't miss the look of longing that quickly flashed when she looked at Tom and Maya. The woman who strode away in front of him wasn't the same woman he thought she was. There was more to her, more layers to be peeled back and he suddenly, desperately wanted to do that. He wanted to know everything there was to know about her. 

He wanted to know what had put that haunted look in her eyes, and why she needed to be so firmly in control.

Shit.

This had gone too far past just wanting to scratch an itch.

The “truck” wasn't a lorry as he'd expected but a ute, what the Yanks called a pickup. It took him a moment to realise that she probably didn't have all that much to move, if anything, since the fire. He was smart enough to keep his mouth shut as they all piled in, him being shunted into the front seat beside Lizzie by the lovebirds. The yelps that escaped him though, as the hellion behind the wheel tried to murder them all, couldn't be helped. 

White knuckled he squeezed his eyes shut as she swerved around another slow moving vehicle muttering something about “slow ass thunder cunt” under her breath. By the time they pulled into the parking lot of a storage facility, Jack was sure of once thing, that he was never again, after today, going to get into any vehicle that had Elizabeth Bennet behind the wheel.

The woman was mad.

“You ok there, Lowden?” she smirked as she unlocked the padlocked roller door. “Looking a bit paler than your usual fish belly white.”

He glared at her, leaning forward over his knees to catch his breath.

“You. Woman ye’re a fucking menace.”

“Welcome to Chicago traffic, Scotty. It's eat or be eaten.”

“Scotty?”

“Star Trek, Scottish redshirt.”

“I know who he is woman. Ye know not all Scots are the same.”

“Oh you mean they aren't all warm and friendly like you? Color me surprised. Besides don't you Brits think ‘Yanks’ are all the same?”

“Yeah, loud, brass and batshit crazy.” He quipped, noting the twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “And ye drive like maniacs….fuck me I'm goin tae sick up.” He groaned, doubling over.

“Over there!” both women yelled, pointing toward a rubbish bin.

He barely made it before his stomach ejected the Chinese food, sweating and tearing up from the burn. After a few moments he felt something deliciously cool and damp drape over the back of his neck and he looked to see Lizzie beside him, a package of cool wipes in one hand, water bottle in the other. He took both gratefully, rubbing his face with the cool cloth and guzzling the water.

“Easy tiger, you don't want to puke again.”

Well this was fucking humiliating.

“It's yer fault, ye crazy woman.”

“I’ll cop to that, I forget you foreigners have weak stomachs in real traffic.”

“Sweetheart, I drive in London...and even that crazy has nothing on ye.”

“I’ll take it easy on you on the way home, slugger.” She patted his shoulder, handing him some mints before sauntering away.

She had touched him.

He was breathless.

This was bad.


	6. Blast From the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzie moves out and Jack tries to talk himself out of his attraction. Someone from Lizzie’s past comes to town much to everyone’s dismay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a minor trigger with talk about violence against women, this theme will come into play in later chapters but I post warnings at the beginning of each one.
> 
> Also I made Collins less ridiculous and more of a cold, calculate social climber.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 6  
BLAST FROM THE PAST

 

 

LIZZIE 

As much as she hated to admit it, Jack was a great help, after the less than attractive puking incident of course. If she was honest with herself somewhere deep DEEP down, she'd felt a little sorry for him. Only because she knew her driving was often described as nuts. Maya had even given her a key chain that quoted ‘The Hangover’ about her driving.

‘But did you die?’ seemed to be synonymous with her behind the wheel.

Still, she'd taken pity on the pathetic Scot and driven like an angel on the way back to the new apartment. The fact that she was taking some small amount of vindictive pleasure at the sight of his green face and sweaty brow was a secret she would keep to herself.

Unpacking into the apartment was achieved quickly, she didn’t own much. In fact most of what was in the truck was boxes of books and kitchen stuff, packed up when she'd moved back home.

“Where are ye goin tae sleep?” Jack asked as she showed him where to put the bookcase head just lugged up the stairs.

“I have an air mattress until I can run over to Walmart and pick up the furniture I ordered.”

She was in a bit of a distracted fog, willing herself not to stare at the man’s arm muscles as he lifted the case into place.

“Can we no go pick it up today?”

“Don't you have better things to do?” she quipped, slicing open a box of books, scowling when Jack bent over in front of her to lift another box. His t shirt was pulled tight across his back and his jeans……

Snap the fuck out of it Lizzie! She admonished herself. She couldn't afford to see him as anything other than the nasty arrogant shit she knew he really was. It didn't matter how well he filled out a pair of jeans.

Apparently neither her or Tom had anything better to do and at 7pm Lizzie found herself eating tacos at her new kitchen table with Maya while the two men argued about how best to assemble her bed. Both women knew it would just be a matter of time before they had to go in there and show them how it was done. Apparently the male inability to read instructions crossed international borders as well as generations.

“I'm giving them five more minutes, they haven't even realised that the food arrived.”

Maya laughed around her food, rolling her eyes affectionately as Tom called Jack something that sounded suspiciously like “twat headed wanker”. The Scot muttered something unintelligible which was followed by the sound of hammering.

Lizzie pushed her food away, eyes wide.

“I'm going to go and rescue my bed before they completely fuck it up.”

Maya followed her out of the kitchen and down the hall to the bedroom. The pieces to the bed were spread out on the floor while Jack huffed and Tom tried to fit two together. Maya snorted with laughter and Lizzie leaned on the doorframe, swinging the instruction sheet in front of her.

“Food's here, take a break. Please.”

The men looked baffled as they stepped out and the women knelt on the floor.

“Aren't you guys eating? Tom queried, brushing his hand over Maya’s shoulder.

“We already ate, now go, we’ll be fine.”

They left reluctantly enough that Lizzie was tempted to slam the door closed on them. As is was she simply shook her head at the general idiocy of men.

“Right, let's fix this bloody mess then.”

JACK

The silence coming from the bedroom could only be described as ominous in Jack's state of mind. He hadn't realised that the furniture would have to be assembled. Elizabeth had made a comment about cheap versus ready assembled but he hadn't really been listening, too busy lugging a flattened mattress in a bag at the time. Tom had jumped in and offered their services without asking, leaving Jack unable to make an exit without looking like an ass. He still felt embarrassed that he'd vomited in front of Elizabeth, even though she's caused it. The fact that she'd been so considerate afterwards was the only reason he hadn't fled as soon as the truck door had opened.

His hung ho attitude toward getting the job done now could only be put down to an all encompassing desire to be as far away from the woman as he could manage. The puppy like feeling he'd experienced earlier when she'd patted his shoulder terrified him. In that moment he'd felt 14 again, quivering in excitement when the voluptuous Mared Quinn had stroked his cheek and told him he could kiss her if he wanted.

The fallout from that particular experience should have been enough to warn him off the same feeling for Elizabeth Bennet.

His plans for escape had been thwarted by a lovesick Tom, and the undeniable truth that both of them were shite at assembling furniture. They'd been working on the bed frame for two hours with no success, meanwhile the girls had put together a tv stand, two love seats and the dining room set. It was bad enough to be useless but to be so shown up by the women - Callum would never let him live it down if he ever caught wind of it.

“Not a bad place she's found herself.” Tom observed, his mouth full of taco.

“No too shabby.” he had to admit the art deco building was lovely and so was the small flat, even if the kitchen was smaller than the bathroom of his flat in London.

It seemed somehow very Lizzie, the piles of boxes literally screaming her name. He'd figured her to be a reader from their time at the hotel, but she was literally a book hoarder. He'd carried 7 bookcases up the steep stairs and he wasn't sure even they would be enough. Curious, he'd peeked inside one of the boxes and seen a number of British history titles and his interest was piqued. He'd never been a great student, but he admired scholarly people, or at least people with a wide range of interests. The fact that Lisa hadn't been interested in anything other than parties and shopping should have tipped him off long before she'd done what she did.

“Mate, you look posse as well, what's eating at you?”

Tom’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. 

“Nothin, jus tired and I would kill fer a decent fish n chips.”

“You don't like tacos?” Tom was eying his uneaten food with obvious desire and Jack snorted, pushing the container towards him.

“No especially, ye can have them. I'm gonna see about tha bed so we can get back tae the hotel”

He took a moment to clear the table, thankful that Tom was too busy with his food to notice how distracted he was.

“That's done, time to call it a night.”

Jack spun when he heard Maya behind him.

“Couldn't figure it oot either?” he asked smugly.

“Oh no, it's together, Lizzie is putting the sheets on now, piece of cake.”

He narrowed his eyes at Maya before striding down the hall to almost collide with Elizabeth in the bedroom doorway.

“Maya said ye go the bed sorted?” he asked disbelieving., craning his neck to get a look at the room.

“Yup, didn't take any time at all.” she was mocking him, he knew it and yet he couldn't even form a coherent comeback.

Instead all he could focus on was those big blue eyes, full of amusement and the fact that even in ugly shorts and a baggy t shirt she was just…...he couldn't even describe it. Sliding past her as she snickered he saw the bad, fully built and made, just as she'd said.

“How on earth?”

“Jack darling, I guess it helps to have more than just a pretty face.”

There was a sharpness to her tone that contradicted the smile on her face and he felt his cheeks flame.

“Now I need you all to get out of my house so I can sleep. I have to be up at 4am.”

Jack numbly followed her back to the lounge, even more distracted. He accepted her thanks for the help with a nod before making his escape. Her words were still with him when he fell asleep in the big bed on pillows that still smelled like her shampoo.

 

LIZZIE

It was the end of September and Lizzie had finally put the apartment together how she liked it. The fact that it had taken three weeks to really get used to having the space to herself was a big part of it. It was still strange not to have to argue out a shower schedule, instead she had discovered the great joys of laying in a hot bath with candles burning as she eased away the aches and pains.

Maya had moved back in with their parents, much to her mother's dismay, but even she had to admit that she was out of plausible excuses to keep her daughter at the hotel.

With Maya home, the new house underway and school back in session it seemed like things were finally settling down a bit. She hasn't seen Jack since the night she'd moved in and that had been a weight off her shoulders. It was so much easier to remember that he was a dick without his physical attractiveness being shoved in her face every day. If she never saw him or that bitch Caro again she wouldn't even sweat it. The production was going to be winding down around Thanksgiving and they would all be gone.

Even Tom.

Lizzie sighed as she thought about how that was going to affect Maya. The girl was in deep, and Tom was just as smitten, but their lives were thousands of miles apart. No matter what happened it was going to be painful.

“Lizzie Bennet! Get your pale ass up and let us in!” Lizzie winced as Lydia’s loud voice came through the open window.

Moving to the door she pressed the buzzer and unlocked both doors to let her sisters in. They had a coffee date, mostly to help Lydia with her American History assignment. The coffee was actually bribery to actually get Lydia to do the damn thing. Six weeks into Sophomore year and she was already slacking.

“What the hell are you wearing, Lyds?”

“Clothes. Really Lizzie you're such a stick in the mud.? She flopped down on the couch, crossing legs clad in skintight jeans and crossing her arms under her amply uncovered chest.

“The whole world can see your bra.” She sighed, looking toward Maya who simply shrugged.

Lydia had been spoiled since birth and as a result she was uncontrollable now, her parents had never even tried to rein her in. As their only biological ‘miracle’ child some of it was understandable, but it resulted in a 15 year-old girl dressing like a streetwalker and almost failing out of school.

“That's the whole point sister dear.” Lydia said smugly. “If you've got em flaunt em, you should try it sometime.”

Lizzie’s brow furrowed, well used to the digs by now. It was best just to ignore Lydia's snideness and get down to the business at hand. Ushering her sisters out the door she grabbed the books she'd set aside, pulling a cardigan on over her t-shirt. She might not be fashionable but at least she wouldn't be shivering in five minutes.

Lizzie for the win, she thought smugly a few minutes later as Lydia rushed into the warmth of the cafe, goosebumps all over her bare arms and chest.

“Thanks for saving our seats Tom.” Maya said from behind her, causing her to spin.

Sure enough, Tom and Jack sat on the couches by the window, coffees on the table to hold the area. While she appreciated the gesture on a busy Saturday afternoon, the sight of Jack soured her mood even more. Would she never be rid of the prick? His curt nod was enough to make her want to throttle him.

Muttering under her breath she made their coffee order, knowing she was going to make Lydia's day with the added pastries. She needed chocolate to her through this.

An hour, two chocolate muffins and a latte later, Lizzie was trying to explain the impact of Cornwallis’ war in the South during the American Revolution, while Maya thumbed through Lydia's notes from class, which were sketchy to say the least. Tom and Jack had given a couple of simplified British points of view, a welcome addition to the paper if only just the sound of Jack's voice wasn't setting her teeth on edge. She didn't know what it was about him today, but just the mere fact that he was breathing was kissing her off.

“I'm going to get some water, anyone else want?” she stood up quickly, not even waiting for an answer.

At the register she just bought a bottle for everyone, trying to will herself out of her foul mood. It was almost that time of the month, it had to be that, she was always irrationally irritable for a day or so. Taking a deep breath she turned to grab the waters, colliding with a body in the process.

About to mumble an apology the strong smell of CK Eternity assailed her nostrils, bile rising in her throat almost instantly. The smell was as familiar as her own shampoo, and it was one she'd hoped to never have to smell again.

It couldn't be, it wasn't possible.

But it was, daring to look up, Lizzie found herself looking into the face of the man she had thought gone from her life forever.

“Eliza.” his voice made her skin crawl.

“Colin.”

JACK

He was not anxious to see Elizabeth Bennet. Not at all, not even a little bit. Her certainly hadn’t dressed carefully with the knowledge that she would be at the coffee shop, his hair perfectly in place, face cleanly shaven. All of that was because he had a public image to uphold, nothing to do with a certain prickly redhead.

At least that’s what he was going to keep telling himself.  
Which lasted until about the moment he saw her for the first time in three weeks. The fact that his breath left his body in a relieved whoosh as she walked in the door was merely a coincidence. He would allow himself to admit only that she was enticingly attractive to him, and only because she was so different from the women he usually met in his line of work.

Elizabeth’s beauty was effortless, in the way that she didn’t realize the effect she had. But he was sure, once clothing was off, she would be no different from anyone else.

He nodded hello, not trusting his mouth to form actual words that didn’t involve some kind of innuendo. Her eyes flashed as she walked past, irritation clear on her face. Watching Lydia ease onto the couch opposite him, he was pretty sure of the source. The teen was made up as though going to a club, spiked heels and barely there top to boot. She looked ridiculous, like a child playing dress up, and he really felt she would have benefitted from some discipline.

Elizabeth sat down beside him, easing as far away as she could, her books on the cushion between them. He could still smell her, like strawberries and lemon, a scent that had haunted him for weeks. It didn’t help either that when he closed his eyes against the sudden jerk in his stomach, he could picture her just as she was, walking up to Arthur’s Seat, her hand in his.

As clear as day he could see her looking up at him with a smile, wind playing with a few loose tendrils of her braid, her Converses and jeans splattered with mud. In his mind his fingers gently pulled the edges of her varsity cardigan closed against the chill, his arms wrapping around her as he leaned in……

Get a fucking grip Lowden! He shook his head to clear away those thoughts, suddenly aware of everyone’s eyes on him.

“You disagree then, mate?” Tom grinned, his eyes alight with laughter.

He knew exactly what Jack’s thoughts had been.

“Disagree wi what?”

“The fact that Colonel Tarleton’s actions after Green’s defeat at Waxhaws, while demoralising, were actually integral to Colonial victory.” Elizabeth was even sounding irritated now, but only when talking to him.

He could see that her and Maya were trying hard to get some point across to Lydia, who surprisingly was paying attention and even scribbling away.

Honestly though, he wasn’t sure what he could say, they’d never covered the American Revolution in school, or he hadn’t been listening if they had.

“Wha exactly happened at Waxhaws again?”  
Elizabeth sighed.

“When Green realized the battle was lost and ordered the retreat of the Colonial Army, Tarleton and his dragoons set chase and gave no quarter to any captured troops. It was brutal, and it went against all the rules of warfare.”

“They definitely wouldna teach any o tha at an English school.” he muttered.

“Still, it was a turning point in the war.”

“There’s always summan I didna understand abou the whole Independence thing.”

“What’s that?” from the tone of her voice he could tell he was getting under her skin and for some reason he was enjoying it.

“No sayin the Brits were any better than the Yanks, but, fer a people so set on freedom, why did they go against their own Declaration of freedom?”

“How did they do that?” from Lydia, who for once looked interested.

“Well, fer example, they said ‘all men are created equal’, but they still kept their slaves, and women had no rights at all. It all jus seems a bit hypocritical tae me.”

Beneath the irritation in Elizabeth’s eyes, Jack could see something else. He had just impressed Elizabeth Bennet.

She nodded slowly, turning back to Lydia.

“How do you feel about that Lyds?”

The girl was silent for a moment, mulling it over.

“I think I agree with Jack. They wanted freedom from England, but weren’t willing to share that freedom with every member of their society. And they got away with it because the law didn’t recognize blacks or Native Americans as people, and women barely fared any better.”

 

“Very good. Britain was no better in that respect but I think it’s a good angle to add to your paper.”

Jack was fascinated, not just by Lydia’s surprising thoughtfulness, but by the whole conversation around him. Elizabeth knew her stuff, that was for sure. He knew shite about any but the basic History he was taught in school so he couldn’t really contribute any more. He was content to watch her as she taught Lydia about battles he’d never heard of. Her face lit up when she talked, more than he’d ever seen. It was a revealing thing for him to witness.

Lydia asked if she could quote him and he repeated his views slowly enough for her to write down. From the corner of his eye he saw Elizabeth get up and move to the counter. With a sigh he wondered exactly what it was going to take to get through her tough exterior. Then a bigger sigh, shaking off that unwanted thought.

What did he care, really?

“Oh fuck me.” his brows rose at Maya’s shocked curse, he’d never heard her swear before.

Every head craned in the direction of her horrified stare, a gasp from Lydia sealing the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“I can’t believe that prick has the nerve to show up here!”

“Shh Lydia, don’t make a scene.”

Jack turned more, finally able to see Elizabeth standing in front of an unfamiliar man. A once-over took in professionally styled black hair and a suit that easily cost thousands. He looked to be early forties, though it was hard to tell from the distance. The two girls looked disgusted at the sight of him and even from where he sat, something about the man just didn’t sit right with him.

“Who is that?” Tom was asking Maya who was visibly distressed.

“Colin Ryan, Lizzie’s ex fiance.” Lydia sneered.

“Wha?” Jack was stunned, this was the first he’d heard of a fiance.

“Lizzie called off the wedding two weeks before. Mom went fucking ballistic, but Lizzie never said why.”

“We know why, Lydia.” Maya murmured.

“Why?”

“He knocked her around.”

A chill slithered down Jack’s spine at Lydia’s words. Looking over again he watched as Elizabeth visibly shrunk into herself, the bright, confident woman he knew had been replaced by someone dull, submissive, scared. He could fucking see her literally cringing and withering as Colin smiled at her. Jack felt his anger rise, he wanted to deck the bastard, he couldn’t understand why everyone was looking at him like he was some kind of rockstar.

“He’s from the richest family in town, had his fingers in real estate and construction. Everyone loves him because he’s charming and he donates a lot of money to various places.” Maya said quietly, her voice trembling.

“How can they?”

“Because no-one knows, Jack. No-one. Everyone, including our family think that Lizzie just got cold feet. She only told me after I pushed her and then Lydia admitted that she’d seen him get rough with her.”

“She doesn’t know I know, you can’t say anything.” Lydia actually looked worried.

“Fuck this.” Jack stood up.

“Don’t Jack.”

“I’ll no cause a scene maya, just get packed up, quick.”

Barely restraining himself, he walked over to where they stood. Up close Jack knew he could take the guy. His suit hid an emerging gut and his face was starting to get soft, telltale signs of a heavy drinker. There was grey at the man’s temples and while he was admittedly a good-looking man, his lifestyle was starting to show. As he came up beside them he overheard Colin’s remark and his blood boiled. Looking down he saw Elizabeth’s hands wringing together behind her back.

“You’ve really let yourself go Eliza, time was when you had impeccable style. These rags wouldn’t suit L.A at all, it’s very unpleasing.”

He had a voice like snake and Jack saw Elizabeth cringe. Before he could say something that would start a fight, he took a step closer and without thinking he reached out to wrap his fingers around one of her hands.

“Elizabeth, luv, it’s time tae leave, we’ll be late.” he said softly, his eyes not leaving Colin’s.

He saw the barely concealed moment when the other man’s dark eyes flashed with anger and felt Elizabeth literally shaking under his hand. Her fingers gripped his tightly, her back straightening as she seemed to draw strength from him.

“Sorry, I lost track of the time.” she murmured timidly, squeezing his hand to the point of pain.

“No worries, lass, but we’d best head off before Lydia loses her temper again.”

With that he looked Colin right in the eyes, challenging him to say anything. The ass just curled his lip, looking back at Elizabeth.

“I’ll catch you later Eliza, we have some catching up to do.”

Jack gently steered her away, making sure it would look to Colin Ryan as though she was ‘with him’. Not one of them spared the asshole another look as they left in silence, Maya holding the books, the waters left behind on the counter. Elizabeth continued to tremble as they walked down the street in a tight group, his hand still caught in the painful vice grip of hers.

“Lydia and I will sleep over tonight, we can binge watch Netflix and eat all your chocolate like we used to do.” Maya had an arm around her shoulder.

“We can watch all those ridiculously bad shark movies you like so much Lizzie, imagine it’s Colin getting his legs bitten off.”

That got a quiet chuckle from Elizabeth as they reached her building. He felt the instant loss of her fingers as she unlocked the door, looking around fearfully.

“He didna follow us.”

She nodded her understanding and he watched her spine straighten, her breath even out. He wanted to follow them inside, to stay and make sure that she was ok but Tom’s hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks.

“Leave it mate, let her sisters take care of her.”

He hesitated a moment more, still angry. So bloody angry.

“Did ye see the way she was wi him? Like a cornered fucking animal? I wantae deck the cunt.”

“He looks the sort to press charges, Jack, be careful.”

“Ah know, I jus…..ye know how I feel abou tha sort o thing.”

“Especially worse when you have feelings for the woman in question though isn’t it?”

“Wha? I donnae haf feelins fer her!”

“Yeah? And I’m the fucking Pope.”

They were walking away from the building now, Jack getting more agitated by the second. If there was one thing he hated it was men who used their fists on women.

“Jack!”

The sound of Elizabeth’s voice behind him stopped him dead and he turned to walk back to where she stood at the open door. For a moment she just looked at him uncertainly, then she leaned forward, holding the door open with her foot. Her arms wrapped around his waist softly, bringing her up against him.

“Thank you.” she whispered, allowing him no time to hug her back before she pulled away and disappeared inside without looking back.

He must have looked as shocked as he felt due to Tom’s tittering on the side.

“Shut the fuck up mate!” he snarled at his friend as they strode down the street.

Fuck, when did this get so complicated?


	7. New Friends and Old Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bradley Wick arrives just in time to throw a spanner in the works and shocks everyone to the core with what he has to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of have Zac Efron in mind for Wick. Don't get me wrong I like Zac but he def has that movie star perfect look that Wick needs.
> 
> There are a couple of brief mentions of past domestic violence in this chapter.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 7  
NEW FRIENDS AND OLD ENEMIES

LIZZIE

Colin Ryan being back in town was an unexpected and decidedly unpleasant turn of events. It had been 3 years since she’d last seen him, hightailing it out of town after she’d threatened to expose his true nature. She still shivered in fear when she thought about that last day with him, how she’d finally gathered the courage to leave, the bruises on his ribs a stark reminder of his temper. Oh, he’d slapped her, pulled her hair, screamed in her face, but for the first time she’d felt strong, strong enough to get out. With all the proof she’d gathered there was nothing that he could do except let her go and get out of town.

She’d dealt with the fallout for a year, the gossip and the finger pointing, the bill that Colin’s parents had stuck her with for the wedding, not to mention the constant lamenting of her mother. The only person to ever know what had really happened was Maya, and as far as anyone else was concerned, well it was none of their fucking business.

Though now she knew for a fact that Lydia had known about it all along and after the incident with Colin the day before she was pretty sure that Jack and Tom had cottoned on to it too. She had shrunk, all her strength had gone until the moment Jack had taken her hand. Disgusted with herself and stunned at his thoughtfulness, Lizzie had spent the whole night tossing and turning, unable to quiet her thoughts, even with her medication.

Tiptoeing into the kitchen, she passed Maya and Lydia sound asleep on the couches. For all the issues Lyds had, she was staunchly loyal to her sisters and had been able to make her laugh. Waking her before 9am however merely guaranteed you a slew of obscenities and a bitchy mood for the rest of the day, didn’t matter who you were. Maya, though, woke to the smell of the coffee maker, shuffling into the kitchen quietly.

“How are you doing, Lizzie?”

Lizzie shrugged, taking another sip of her Death Wish under her sister’s disapproving eye.

“I didn’t sleep much.”

“Drinking that crap won’t help. Did you take your meds?”

“Yes, mom, I did.” Lizzie rolled her eyes and kept sipping her coffee.

Maya was definitely the only one, other than her doctor, who knew about that. Lizzie even went so far as to have her prescription filled at the next town over, just so no one could add to the gossip. There was still so much stigma attached to her condition and the cause of it that it was best just to stay quiet.  
“I’m sure he won’t be here long.”

“I don’t understand why he’s here at all. His parents moved away, retired to Aspen or some such shit. There’s absolutely no reason for him to be here.”

Maya nodded sympathetically, getting up to raid the fridge.

“Knowing that jerk I’m sure we’ll know sooner rather than later. But we aren’t going to let him get to us, right Liz?”

“Don’t worry about me, Maya. It was a shock seeing him yesterday, but now I know he’s here I can handle it. I won’t let him get to me again.”

“I’ll fucking kick him in the nuts if he ever comes near you again.” Lydia muttered, dragging herself over to the coffee machine.

“Language Lydia!”

“Bite me Maya.”

“Stop it you two.” Lizzie muttered.

After breakfast, which was more pleasant than expected with Lydia full of caffeine, they finished a rough draft of her paper and attempted to talk some sense into her about her wardrobe. As always it was a waste of time, but Lizzie would never stop trying.

They were meeting mary and Kate for lunch at the park, the first time all the sisters had been together since Kate’s birthday party. Mary’s job and the band meant she rarely left the city and kate had been kept fairly cloistered since she entered the convent, only able to communicate through letters. Lizzie missed them both terribly and unashamedly cried when she hugged Kate, looking both like a child and a grown up in her brown habit, her eyes as big and serious as ever.

“You look happy Katie.” Lizzie whispered, not willing to let her sister go.

“I am happy, Lizzie. The convent is so peaceful and we do so much outreach. It’s perfect for me.”

Kate, or Sister Mary Kate as she would soon be known, was the center of attention. From the city Mary was in contact almost daily, especially with Maya who went to class close to where she worked. Seeing her was a happy extension of the texts and calls that were normal. Her girlfriend was a little hesitant at first, but Kate was ecstatic to meet her and quickly erased her fears of being accepted. It was just perfect, sitting on their blankets, eating and talking, just the 6 of them. Any residual ill feeling that Lizzie had about Colin was swept away in the balm of her sisters.

A soccer ball suddenly flew towards them, expertly caught by kate before it could destroy their picnic. Hot on it’s heels was a man, shirtless and so well built that even katie was gawking open mouthed.

“Sorry ladies, it just got away from me.” His perfect white smile spread across his face as he took in each of the girls in turn.

For her part, Lizzie had never seen a more gorgeous man her whole life. He turned that megawatt smile onto her and she couldn’t help but respond in kind, her cheeks flushing as he looked her up and down before holding out his hand.

“Hi, name’s Brad, Grad Wick.”

JACK

Jack couldn’t sleep, he was still wide awake at 2am, his brain refusing to shut off. He tossed and turned, kicking the blankets off then pulling them up again. He warmed milk in the tiny suite microwave and even counted sheep, but nothing worked. Every time he closed his eyes all he could see was Elizabeth cowering in front of Colin Ryan.

It pissed him off.

If there was one thing he hated it was men who abused women. It didn’t matter which woman, he abhorred it. Had Caro come to him saying she’d been hit he would have felt the same way, despite how much he disliked her. There was no excuse for violence in a relationship and least of all against someone as small as Elizabeth Bennet. He didn’t even want to imagine the extent of the abused, but his mind of course had other ideas. Instead of sleeping he’d been he’d been laying there while increasingly worse scenarios had flashed in his head.

With a 5 am call time he decided there was no use in trying to sleep any longer. He stumbled out to the bathroom, hanging his head under the cold shower spray to try and clear the cobwebs. What the fuck was wrong with him lately? Honestly this shoot couldn’t be over quickly enough in his opinion, he needed to get home, walk the glenns and get his shit together. He was a grown man, successful, in demand and yet this one bloody woman had managed to derail his peace of mind. It didn’t matter how pretty, smart or nice she was, they were from two different worlds. When he left Indiana in November he would never see her again.

The twinge he felt in his chest at that thought was something he was going to ignore.

She’d hugged him though, held his hand.

He tried to tell himself it was just the situation, that she would have done the same with Tom. The part of him that he wanted to shut up disagreed, that traitorous voice was telling him that Elizabeth might actually like him. They were both adults and maybe her prickliness was just a product of her former relationship. He just had to be….less aggressive, more….

“Don be an eejit.” he muttered as he dressed. “The last thing ye need is a fuckin woman complicatin the shite outa things.”

Lizzie wasn’t a roll in the hay type of woman and that’s all he wanted. One and done, no complications, no emotions, no phone calls, no nothing. He’d vowed he’d never let another woman close after Lisa and he needed to keep to that. No distracting redheads. He would be polite and nothing more.

If he ended each day imagining how good she might feel beneath him, or astride him, her hair falling around them both, then so be it. Taking himself in hand was infinitely preferable to the fallout that would come from being intimately involved with a Bennet.

Determined, and his mind made up, Jack was feeling a lot better when he arrived on set. Even Caro had backed off enough that he didn't dread being at work anymore, all he had to do was get through the next six weeks and he’d be home. There were any number of discrete, gorgeous women he could entice to bed if he wanted. By Christmas all this bullshit would be in the past.

“Jack!” Tom was trotting to catch up with him as he left the set for the day. “Do you want to do for a run?”

Jack was pretty sure that Tom’s new love of running was based more on necessity than a desire to exercise. With the lovely Maya no longer sharing his bed every night, the lad needed to run off all that sexual frustration.

And so did he if he was completely honest.

The late September weather was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of July and August in Indiana and Jack barely broke a sweat as they jogged around the lakefront park. His endorphins had him feeling much better and the physical exercise would certainly ensure a good night’s sleep.

“Hold up mate!” Tom panted, bending over to catch his breath.

“Ye ain’t givin up already are ye lad?”

“Just give me a second old man.” Tom groaned. “Not all of us have your stamina.”

“Hence why ye still have the body of a teenage boy.”

“Shut it Angel Face.”

Jack winced slightly, apparently some fans had likened his unshaven face to something like a cherub and Tom hadn’t let it go since. His aversion to the comparison was a constant source of delight to Tom, who seemed to love nothing more than getting under his skin.

Snarky cunt.

He pushed Tom a little further before taking pity on him and slowing to a walk. The park was full of people, families picnicking and using the playgrounds, couples walking hand in hand. If he felt a twinge of envy, he quickly shoved it down deep. Alone was better, alone was safe.

“Tom! Jack!” Lydia’s loud call couldn’t be ignored and he groaned inwardly as Tom trotted off in the direction of the Bennet sisters.

All five of them were there, but Jack saw only one. Elizabeth sat, leaning on her elbows and laughing at the man who sat with them. He had never seen her smile like that at him, in fact he was pretty sure this was the first time he’d ever seen her really laugh.

His gut twisted.

Tom was already sitting down, an arm around Maya, commenting on Mary’s tattoo. Kate, the novice nun, smiled warmly at him and he moved closer. The memory of Elizabeth’s hand in his bolstered him, even though she was no longer laughing. He raised a hand in greeting, getting a curt nod in response.

“How are ye all doin?” Jack was about to sit down when the breath was knocked out of him in shock.

The man beside Elizabeth turned and Jack felt himself freeze, anger and disgust rolling through him.

What the fuck was that piece of shit doing there?

He looked at Elizabeth who seemed confused, then at Bradley Wick who sat there smirking, daring him to say something.

That would have been a mistake.

Instead he turned, without saying a word, and walked away.

LIZZIE

He really was a rude bastard. She watched as Jack walked away, a stunned looking Tom hot on his heels. Just when she thought there was a slight that she might have misjudged him, he had just merely reinforced her dislike of him.

Arrogant, uptight assclown.  
“Nice to see some things never change.” Brad remarked wryly from beside her.

“You know Jack?”

“Shit, I’ve known him since drama school. He was just as big a cock back then.”

Lizzie’s eyes narrowed, something in Jack’s eyes had seemed deeply shocked when he’d seen Brad. there was definitely more to this story.

“Bastard never liked me. Too full of himself to pay attention to lowly nobodies like me.” Brad laughed quietly.

“Seems like there might be some history there.” Lizzie cautiously, curious despite herself.

“You noticed that did you?”

“Kinda hard not to.”

Brad’s handsome face looked sad as he took a deep breath. Lizzie instantly felt sorry for him, having a feeling that what he was about to say hurt him.

“Jack was a year behind me at drama school, we met when we were both going out for a play. He seemed like a great guy, until I got the part instead of him. Then he found out that I’d grown up in an orphanage in Leeds. After that he did everything he could to ruin me. He’s talented, don’t get me wrong, I would have been more than happy to share roles, but no. It escalated in his second year, he was cast as my understudy in a play. It just got worse until eventually he got me fired, he stashed coke in my dressing room. I had a record from when I was a teen so when he told the director, well I was done. I got booted out of school for that too. Jack ended up with an agent and a slew of offers.”

“That’s awful.” Lizzie admitted.

She honestly hadn’t imagined that Jack was that much of a prick.

“I made do.” Brad shrugged. “He was young, insecure, and a lot of people do worse in our line of work.”

“That doesn’t make it right!” Lizzie sputtered. “Was that the last time you had contact?”

“I wish.” Brad murmured, looking at the ground. “I ran into him again last year on set. He didn’t recognize me at first, not for a few weeks. The girl he was with, Lisa, sweet girl. He treated her like shit, I found her crying one day and sat with her, he saw me with her and dragged her off. Next day I saw her getting in the cab to leave, her lip was all busted. I was fired the same day.”

Lizzie felt sick to her stomach, her head spinning. It was worse than she’d ever imagined, she never would have thought that he was violent. A vision of him standing beside her the day before, facing off Colin, came unbidden. The fucking nerve of him! To act like that when he’d done the exact same thing himself!

Her stomach protested for the rest of the afternoon as she fought to engage with her family. Brad had left soon after Jack, apologetic and charming. He’d offered to take her to dinner, something she’d rain-checked. What she wanted to do was to talk to Maya, to try and process what she’d just heard.

After they’d visited their parents and Lizzie had been forced to listen to her mother informing her that she’d run into ‘dear Colin’ at the store, she finally managed to take Maya aside, imparting everything she’d learned from Brad. She’d been as shocked as expected, her eyes wide as Lizzie spoke.

“I always thought he was just prickly.” Maya gasped. “Figured he would warm up eventually.”

“As if, he’s been a dick since the day we met him.”

Maya looked thoughtful as Lizzie paced back and forth in a tizzy.

“I can’t believe the fucking nerve of him. Where does he get off acting like he’s so much better than everyone else? It makes me sick Maya.”

“Maybe Brad was mistaken?”

“I doubt it Maya.” Lizzie snapped. “The guy was practically in tears when he was done. What possible reason could he have to lie?”

“I didn’t say lie, Lizzie, but maybe Jack wasn’t responsible for all his bad luck.”

Lizzie leveled her sister with a hard glare, she really was naive at times.

“You can’t talk him out of this one Mai, you just can’t. He hit his girlfriend!”

“Yeah, I guess you really can’t argue with that. But what about Tom? Why would he be his friend?”

“I’ll bet any amount of money that Tom has no idea. Jack’s an actor, he can make himself into anyone he wants.”

“What do we do?”

“Nothing. He’ll be gone in a few weeks. Just don’t expect me to have anything to do with the asshole. I love Tom to death, but not even for you will I associate with an abuser.

“I understand. I’m just so sorry this happened.”

“I’m not, because now we know the truth of what he is.”

Even Maya couldn’t see the good in him now, and she was the one who liked everyone. By the time Lizzie got back to the apartment she’d apologized several times in text for sticking up for him. It didn’t matter, she thought sourly as she sat in her living room window, she never had to see him again unless she chose to. She was just grateful she’d found out now, instead of after she’d invited him to lunch to say thank you. He didn’t deserve a thank you, he deserved to be outed. Why Brad never had she understood, Lisa was an actress and he’d wanted to spare her the scandal. Besides Jack probably wouldn’t hesitate to ruin them both if the truth was even so much as hinted at. As much as Lizzie wanted everyone to know what a creep he was, she wouldn’t do that to Brad.

“How did everything get so fucked up?” she sighed, realising for the first time how utterly unsatisfied she was with everything.

Her life had been in a holding pattern since she’d called off the wedding and if Brad could overcome what he had then there was nothing to stop her.

It was time to stop being afraid to live.

JACK

Bradley Wick! Just when he thought he’d seen the last of the cunt here he was, as always, just in the shadows of his life. Everywhere he’d stepped in the last decade Wick was there, at least in his mind. The bastard haunted him, the mistake of attempting to be the man’s friend and co-worker was something he lived with everyday.

Seeing him with Elizabeth made his blood boil, it was as if the man knew exactly who would hurt him the most and that’s who he targeted. The only reason he’d walked away was so the ladies didn’t have to witness him pounding Wick into a pulp. That and the assault charge stemming from that would ruin his career. Brad would of course come out smelling like roses, just like he always did.

“Jack, mate. Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

“Nope.” he took a shot of whiskey, weighing up the pros and cons of just drinking from the bottle.

“Seriously man, I’m worried. I’ve not seen you like this before.”

“I’m fine Tom.” another shot. “I have history with Bradley Wick, thas all. None of it good.”

“That’s all I’m going to get?”

“Yup.” If he played his cards right he could be blind drunk before it even got dark.

“I don’t like this Jack. This isn’t like you.”

“Too bad, is me now. Take me or leave me, I donna care.”

Tom just shook his head, disappearing out the door, no doubt to see Maya.

It bothered him.

The fact that he liked Elizabeth Bennet bothered him.

He was jealous of Tom, who could give himself so easily.

The fact that he couldn’t read Lizzie bothered him, her elusiveness both enticing and infuriating.

Bradley Wick suddenly being in town enraged him.

Everything had gone to shit.

Himself included.

He couldn't wait to leave this shithole, not that he had much to look forward to in London, but it was better to miserable in familiar surroundings. As far away as he could get from Elizabeth, Brad, all of them. Callum would knock some sense into him over Christmas he was sure, his little brother never failed to be the logical one. Had he listened to Callum in the first place, the two years he'd wasted with Lisa would never have happened. None of his family had ever really liked her and made no secret of their feelings, Jack had just been too stubborn to listen.

Look where that had landed him.

He didn't have the stomach to finish the whiskey, drinking the night away had gotten old in his early twenties. Losing his head was also most certainly not the way to deal with the situation?

Should he warn the Bennets?

They wouldn't believe him, no one ever did. Wick had this fucking gift of charming his way out of every situation and he already had door in the door. Nothing Jack could say now would hold any sway, plus he would have to admit his own guilt and shame in past events. He wasn't ready for that, for the disappointment and the accusation, he got enough of that from his own mind.

He found himself wandering, the sun dipping below the horizon, the breeze from the lake chilly. Jack told himself he was just going to get dinner at the only good restaurant in town and that it had nothing to do with the place being directly across from Elizabeth's movie theatre apartment.

He kept telling himself that as he sat alone in the window with his food, watching her shadow as she read a book behind the curtains. He watched her lights go out at 8:30, tipped his waitress well and shuffled back to the hotel, ready to fall into an exhausted, dreamless sleep. 

Hoping to escape from himself for just a little while.


	8. Field of Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brad is still being as charming as ever, Jack is riddled with jealousy and Lizzie takes a step in a new direction.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 8  
FIELD OF DREAMS

 

LIZZIE

For the first time in a long time, Lizzie actually felt like an adult. After she’d managed to slog through another day of asshole customers, she’d forced herself onto the train and headed to the Field Museum to apply for a job. As determined as she was, the fact that there were none didn’t dissuade her, instead she signed up as a volunteer. Oftentimes a place like the Field employed from within the volunteer pool so in her eyes it was at least a step in the right direction.

Instead of letting it bother her, she spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Chicago, taking silly selfies in front of the Bean and the fountain. She even got one of her giving the finger to Trump Tower, amused at her small display of defiance. Posting them on Instagram she began to feel some of the dust blowing away and the hope for a different future ebbing in to replace it.

As she sat on the train back to Whiting, Lizzie contemplated the switch that had brought this on. Could it be that Colin’s unexpected reappearance had shocked her into making a change or was it the easy going no pressure interest of Brad that was making her start to see things differently? Whichever one it was she had to roll with it, embrace change and finally get the hell on with her life.

Starting with the next day.

It was Charlie’s 30th birthday and true to form he wanted to celebrate in a ridiculous manner. This year, it was two hours on a floating water park and EVERYONE was expected to take part. At first Lizzie had begged off, knowing that Colin and Charlie’s father were good friends. The thought of seeing him made her feel ill, but with her new-found lease on life she decided - fuck him.

No way was she going to miss her best friend’s birthday because of that weasel. This was her place, her home and she wasn’t about to let him scare her away from it.

Which was how she found herself being strapped into a life vest while wondering how cold the lake water was. As anticipated, Colin was indeed there, but apparently he was too good or too scared to try out the obstacle course. He simply watched and Lizzie did her best to ignore the reptile cold eyes that followed her every move.

“Hey Dizzie Lizzie, he’s gone. You can breathe again.”

Charlie yanked the last strap on her vest, pulling it tight as she looked around. Sure enough, Colin was walking away with Charlie’s father and she let out the breath she was holding.

“And I have to say thanks for bringing such a delectable piece of eye candy with you.” Charlie was almost licking his lips as he took in Brad helping Lydia with her lifevest. “I just want to dip him in chocolate and spend all day…”

“Ok gross, Cha Cha, seriously do not make me visualize you licking chocolate off anyone or I’ll have to go home and bleach my brain.”

“Awe now sweets, you’re just jealous cause you can’t have all this.” Charlie rubbed his hands all over his impressively formed torso, before turning to stick his ass out at her.

“Oh God, you’ve nailed it! That’s why my life is such a screw up, because I’m too busy mooning over you and lamenting your aversion to female body parts.” Lizzie deadpanned.

Charlie hooked an arm over her shoulder.

“Babes, I just call em like I see em. You are so obviously hot for me.”

“Why do I even bother to try and deny it anymore?” Lizzie sighed dramatically as they reached Brad. “Bradley Wick, meet the birthday boy, Charlie Lucas.”

Brad smiled widely holding out a hand.

“Careful Brad, this one bites.” Lizzie laughed.

“Thanks for including me mate, sorry I didn’t bring anything.”

“Oh trust me,” Charlie cooed, looking Brad up and down slowly, “I’ve got everything I need.”  
Lizzie rolled her eyes as Charlie walked away, turning behind Brad’s back to fake a swoon and mimic licking a lollipop. A half snorting laugh her as he ran to the water whistling innocently.

“Thanks again for inviting me, Bennet.”

“No worries, gives you a chance to meet some friendly people.”

“No Lowden here I see.”

“No, the prick isn’t welcome. I invited Tom but he had plans with Maya.”

“He seems like good people, though I can’t say I’ve honestly met him.”

“He’s wonderful actually, it’s hard to see how such a friendly and open person can be friends with someone like Jack.”

“Well he is an actor, he can make himself very pleasing when he wants. I’m sure that’s what Tom sees.”  
It still bothered Lizzie though, so much about the whole thing just bothered her.

There’s this one girl, friend of the family, blonde, pretty…”

“You mean Caro?”

“Hell no, that woman scares me, she’s like a barracuda.”

Lizzie laughed at the visual, he was right on the mark.

“I’m talking about Georgie, I met her when she came to visit him at school with his Mum. She was around 10 and completely under his spell, I mean he hung the bloody moon as far as she was concerned. I happened to run into her about two years ago in Edinburgh and nothing had changed. She acted like I was some kind of devil and Jack a fucking God or something.”

Lizzie remembered a night in the hotel when Jack had spent all night texting someone named Georgie.

“Is she like his secret girlfriend or something?”

Brad paused, as if to weigh up how much he should say.

“No.” he said finally. “ She’s like a sister I guess, she’s the same age as your sister, about 17.”

“Lyds is only 15.” Lizzie sighed, watching as her sister ran shrieking into the water.

“Oh, I see.” Brad looked over at Lydia. “ Well either way it’s an…...awkward situation.”

It was kind of creepy, at least the way Brad was telling it. There was a tiny jerk in her stomach, barely noticeable, but enough to raise her defences a bit. Something just seemed off. Brushing it aside, Lizzie ran to the water.

“Last one to the ladders is a rotten egg!” she called out as she hit the chilly water.

She looked back in time to catch Brad looking dark and pensive, before his winning smile spread across his face again.

The unease was gone before she could even quantify what it was.

JACK

This was complete and utter bullshit. Jack sighed as he looked down at his phone again, distracted to the point that the director had ordered him to take ten and get his shit together. Never, not once in his career had a director ever taken him to task by a director. The whole thing was irrational, foolish and damaging, and yet he somehow couldn’t help it.

The fact that he’d made a fake Instagram account just to follow Lizzie was a step away from madness. The knowledge that he was now looking at her doing a flip off a giant ball in an inflatable water park while Brad fucking Wick cheered was absolutely infuriating.

Then there was another one, Lizzie hanging off monkey bars over the water, again with Wick in the water below her. The swimsuit she wore was modest, but it did her justice, and it should have been him floating below, waiting to catch her should she fall.

“Christ that girl is white, she looks like a corpse!” Caro exhaled her cigarette as she plopped down beside him. “Who is it?”

Jack shoved his phone aside, plucking the cigarette from her fingers and taking a deep drag.

“I dinna ken, some kind o advertisement.” he took another drag before handing it back to Caro.

“It looked like that monstrosity at the beach here.” she stated suspiciously.

“Probably was, ye ken all tha shite is geolocation or some crap. Been gettin all local shite since we got here.” he shrugged, the vision of Lizzie and Wick still fresh.

“I told you to turn off your location when we got here, but you never listen to me.” Caro whined.

“An I’m no about tae start now, Caro.” he took the cigarette again.

“What the hell is wrong with you lately?” she pouted.

He had been extra surly in the week since Wick’s arrival, he would admit that much to himself, not that anyone other than he knew why. All caro and even Tom knew was that there was some kind of old, bad blood between the two of them and that Wick was bad news. Nothing more.

“A dinna ken, Caro,” he sighed, handing back the smoke and standing up. “Maybe I jus picked the wrong week tae quit smokin.”

He got through the scene to the director’s satisfaction, earning himself an early exit from the set. Brushing off Caro’s invite to dinner, he retreated back to the suite, grateful that Tom was off to dinner with Maya and her parents. Chewing on a muesli bar that tasted like drywall, he looked at his phone again.

Jack kept telling himself that he was merely concerned for Elizabeth’s welfare. When that didn’t work he allowed that he was not one to pass up the vision of a lovely woman in a swimsuit. Further than that he wouldn’t even consider. The weird feeling in his chest as it tightened, he attributed to the sight of Wick and his disgust that the man was insinuating himself into the good graces of a trusting woman.

It had absolutely nothing to do with seeing a shot of Elizabeth, clad now in leggings and a sweater, standing between Charlie and Wick, cake smeared on their noses and her face lit up with a laugh. He felt like a stalker as he looked through the pictures, growing angrier as the cunt appeared in almost every one of them. Unlike him, Bradley Wick had always had the ability to fit in anywhere and make himself the belle of the ball. That was usually until he was unable to keep up the charade and then moved on to greener pastures.

He always left heartache and catastrophe in his wake, and now he had latched on to Elizabeth, for what reason he didn’t know. She didn’t come from money and she wasn’t publicly associated with him, which were usually Wick’s two main motivators. Somehow he had to try and extract Elizabeth Bennet from his clutches before she got hurt.

Maybe he did care, just a little bit.

LIZZIE

October had swooped in and typical of any year around Lake Michigan the weather didn’t know what to do with itself. One day it was almost as warm as August and another, freezing rain pelted from the sky. Halloween decorations had gone up all over town with Lizzie adding to the festivities by hanging fake webs and a giant black spider on her windows. She loved Halloween.

The main work on the family home had been completed just before the weather changed and with only the interior left to finish, her parents, maya and Lyds could move in in time for Thanksgiving. By that time, everything would be back to normal. No more movie stars, except Tom, just regular, quiet life with no judgement. She couldn’t wait.

Looking around the lobby of the Field Museum, Lizzie waited for her next group. Despite dealing with school kids more often than not, she was loving her two days a week volunteering. Even if she wasn’t getting paid she was still spending time working her passion and that alone helped to make up for the exhaustion of working seven days a week.

Another upside was that she now had a legitimate excuse to bow out of any social situations that didn’t involve her immediate family. Maya and Tom were always inviting her to dinner and knowing Jack and/or Caro would be there made her thankful that she had the legitimacy of this excuse. She hadn’t even seen Brad since Charlie’s party, though he seemed to spend a lot of his spare time helping her parents with the house. They still texted back and forth and he was still as charming as ever, but Lizzie found she wasn’t really sorry that she didn’t see him. She related it to Emma Woodhouse when Frank Churchill had gone away and she’d realised she wasn’t at all in love with him, just flattered by the attention.

Lizzie was indeed flattered that someone as handsome as Wick had appeared interested, but she didn’t feel anything toward him, not even attraction. Not for the first time she wondered if perhaps the abuse at Colin’s hands had left her unable to have normal feelings for a man. It was common, her therapist had brought it up several times in the past three years. Deep down, beyond what she had even told the doc, Lizzie knew it wasn’t just that at all.

She was attracted to Jack Lowden.

As much as she loathed the man, her body betrayed her with little jolts every time she saw him, whether in person or onscreen.

It pissed her off no end.

It was also something that she wasn’t even remotely close to being ready to deal with.

“Lizzie!” he head popped up at the sound of Maya’s voice across the lobby.

“What on earth are you doing here Mai? Don’t you have class today?”

“Cancelled. Newman is sick so I thought I’d come see you.”

“That’s great, you’ll have to come on my next tour though before we can have lunch.”

“Actually I’m your next tour.” Maya looked a little guilty. “Tom set the whole thing up, we both know how busy you’ve been.”

“That’s great, where is he?”

Maya flushed and avoided her sister’s eyes.

“He and Jack are parking the car.”

Lizzie groaned loudly.

“Why Maya?”

“Tom said he invited him because he’s really into museums. I’m sorry Liz, he really doesn’t realise how much you dislike him.”

“Or why.” Lizzie muttered as she spied the two men in question coming toward them. “But don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behaviour, Only because I can’t afford to fuck up my place here.”

“I hate it too Liz.” Maya murmured.  
Maya had spent more time with the dick in question that she had, so she decided not to make it any harder. For her sister’s sake she could be as sweet as candy to the asshole, at least when other people were around.

Plastering on her best customer service smile, Lizzie turned to face the two men as they ambled up.

“Lizzie! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!”

Tom enclosed her in a hug before she could answer and before she could politely back away as she usually did in these situations. There were very few people who could actually touch Lizzie without her feeling panic and much as she liked Tom, he wasn’t one of them. Thankfully, Tom wasn’t one of those who hugged for long and he quickly pulled away to put an arm around Maya, leaving Lizzie standing with her arms still up, looking startled.

“Tom, it's only been a couple of week.” Maya admonished with an apologetic look.

“It feels like longer, in fact I don’t think I’ve actually seen you since that picnic with your sisters.”

Lizzie couldn’t help but notice Jack’s jaw twitch at the mention of the day they met Wick. He was probably afraid of what had been revealed about him, and so he should be. This, however, was a professional setting so she bit back the snarky comment she’d been about to make about Brad and instead forced the smile back onto her face.

“Hi Jack, how have you been?”

The fact that Jack looked very taken aback was more than enough to make Lizzie feel a small amount of satisfaction.

“I’ve no been bad, how about ye?” he managed to choke out.

“Busy, busy, you know what they say. All work and no play makes Lizzie a dull girl.”

He simply blinked, staring at her as though she’d lost her mind.

“Anyway,” she turned on her tour-guide voice. “Usually I start at the top and work down to finish with the special exhibit, but it's up to you what you want to see first.”

There was a quick consensus to follow the route that she usually took and over the next few hours, Lizzie led them through the museum, glad to be dealing with actual adults who wanted to be there. Tom and Maya were caught up in each other for the most part, Maya having been to the museum a million times growing up, and Tom really only interested in Maya. Jack, surprisingly enough, asked intelligent questions and listened to her answers, even encouraging further conversation. To her great surprise, Lizzie thoroughly enjoyed the tour and only a stray reminder of what a dirtbag Jack really was could bring her back to reality.

It really was a shame she thought on the train home that night. The Scot seemed to have the whole package- looks, talent, intelligence, even the apparent ability to appear human on occasion. It really was a pity that he was also snobbish, rude, vindictive and violent. Not that she really cared, he was nothing to her. It was just difficult to merge the man from the museum with the jerk she knew and the stories she’d heard.

One thing was for sure though, the sooner he left town, the better everything would be.

JACK

“Come on mate, you need to get out!” Tom was almost whining as he tried to convince Jack to leave the suite on their day off.

“Ah’ve go everythin I need righ here.” Jack muttered, clicking through the tv channels absently.

“Look I know for a fact that Wick is on set all day, so you don’t have to be concerned about running into him.”

“I’m no worried, e’s the one should be worried.”

“We can go to the city….to the Field Museum, Lizzie said she could give us a private tour.”

That got his attention.

“Elizabeth said tha?” he found it hard to believe, but at the same time.

“Yes she did, so come on and let’s go.” Jack completely missed Tom’s flush as he told the lie.

Jack’s hopes were bolstered when Maya didn’t seem at all surprised to see him tagging along on their outing. She seemed quiet and he resolved to ask Tom if everything was ok when they were alone. He did know that Maya was heading into law school so it was very likely that she was just tired, it was hard to tell. Apart from the night of the fire he’d never actually seen the girl show any real emotion.

He squashed his concerns for the moment, suddenly eager for the day’s adventure. The Field was an imposing Greek-style building that he’d only seen in passing the one other time he’d been in Chicago. Jason had mentioned then that it was something worth seeing and Jack could see as they pulled in, that he hadn’t been wrong. When Maya jumped out, leaving Tom to park the car, he didn’t see any issue. He lingered instead, taking photos of the skyline and the other buildings to show his Mum. For a weekday, the place seemed busy, though without the squeeze that he often felt at the museums in London. Most of the groups appeared to be school aged children and teens, mostly looking as though they would rather be anywhere else. Typical of Americans to be unappreciative of such a wealth of history, he thought in disgust as Tom picked up their passes from the courtesy desk.

Even knowing he was going to see Elizabeth didn’t prepare him for the jolt that hit his chest when he spotted her. She was talking seriously to Maya as they walked up, her hair in braids, bright copper against the stark black and white of her ‘uniform’. A name tag labelled her a volunteer and not for the first time he wondered why she’d given up her two days a week off to travel all this way and work for free. It didn’t make much sense to him, but then little about her did. Least of all the bright smile she bestowed upon him as she said hello.

That was unexpected.

He honestly didn’t know what to say. He managed to ask how she was and was floored when she responded with a flirtatious comment. Jack could only blink, astounded at the change taking place before him. He certainly hadn’t missed the look of pure panic on her face when Tom had hugged her, or the way she stiffened up until he let her go. Then a blink and suddenly she was smiling at him in a way she never had before. That added to the fact that Tom said she had invited him could only mean one thing, that Elizabeth Bennet was warming to him.

With that idea burning inside he allowed himself to relax, to hang on her every word as she led them around what was a pretty impressive museum. He made sure to ask questions, hoping he didn’t sound like the dunce he knew he was. To his surprise Elizabeth was quick to answer, and in depth so that he really understood what she was saying. For the first time he was really eager to learn something, a feat his secondary Science teacher would have once deemed a miracle. He remembered back to the day when they had been helping Lydia with her essay and how Elizabeth had been so knowledgeable and then, to the books in her apartment, the few that he’d sneaked a look at. Title after title, all history books. The pieces were coming together in his mind. 

Or so he thought.

In the end there wasn’t time for lunch, Elizabeth was called away to help somewhere else before they could order but Jack was chuffed when she smiled again, looking him in the eye as she said goodbye. It was more than he had gotten so far. Perhaps, for once, Wick hadn’t managed to poison the opinion of someone against him, or less likely, he hadn’t even bothered.

“You’re awfully quiet Jack?” Tom remarked once they got back to the suite, Maya having dropped them off.

“Jus thinkin.” Jack murmured, pouring himself a scotch.

“About what?” Tom took a drink too, clinking their glasses.

Jack didn’t want to talk about it, not about Elizabeth, or Wick. He just wanted to be alone and think. He was is one hell of a quandary, and he honestly didn’t know what to do with himself. 

Keeping silent on the matter until Tom finally went out, Jack nursed his scotch and his ego. There could be no dismissing how friendly Elizabeth had been that day, adding that to his prior knowledge that she was at the very least attracted to him was pumping up his self worth considerably. Surely he could put up with a few things that annoyed him where she was concerned, like her family, her town, her job. These were all things that could be dealt with he was sure. In his current state, he was feeling rather magnanimous toward the whole situation.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would find a way to see her and then with any luck Elizabeth Bennet would soon be his.


	9. Snow Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first snow of the season brings unwelcome realizations and an impromptu dinner date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been in a real funk since I got back from Scotland but I forced myself to get these two back on track....so to speak.

LIZZIE

Winter had officially arrived, several weeks early in fact. Lizzie sat in her window watching the children walking to school, bundled in their coats and scarves, happily throwing snowballs at one another. Shop owners were salting and shovelling the sidewalks while the trucks came along to give the same treatment to the roads. The first decent snow of the season the week before Thanksgiving was almost unheard of. Since Lizzie had been in high school it had only snowed before Christmas maybe three times. Up at 6am she’d already shovelled the sidewalk outside the theatre, the landlord was far too old to be having to worry about it and if she was honest she enjoyed the simple labor of it.

What she didn’t like, however, was driving in the snow, especially in or around Chicago. She’d admittedly been called a crazy driver more than once but she had nothing on the idiots who came out in the bad weather. It was far safer for her and everyone else for her to just, not. The museum had already been informed that she wouldn’t be back until March, and honestly Lizzie was looking forward to taking the time off to explore some online classes, anything to pad her resume. Today, though, she was free just to relax and watch the flakes fall while she nursed her tea.

A ping from her phone distracted her, no-one usually texted her at 7am unless it was an emergency, or they wanted her to work.

Brad: Hey Red! It’s snowing!

Lizzie rolled her eyes. In the weeks since Charlie’s birthday, the weird feeling she’d had about Brad had almost vanished and she’d engaged with him a lot more. Though she had yet to take him up on his offers of dinner, she had allowed him to sit beside her at the movies once or twice. For his part, Brad had eased off while still making his attraction clear. Lizzie couldn’t understand why she was so reticent about getting involved with him. On paper he was a hell of a catch - gorgeous, charming, successful, friendly and fun. Brad Wickham ticked a lot of boxes, except two. Attraction and trust.

The truth was - she just didn’t think of him in that way. If he brushed her hand or touched her she felt nothing. Literally nothing, it just wasn’t there for her and no amount of trying had changed that. There was also the niggling feeling in the back of her mind that she just couldn’t trust him. Whether it was because he was just too perfect, or her own personal fears, she just couldn’t tell, but it was there.

It didn’t stop her from enjoying his friendship though.

Lizzie: Your powers of perception are second to none. I never would have guessed.

Brad: Ha ha, there’s talk they may cancel filming today.

Lizzie: It’s barely a dusting! And wouldn’t that just put production behind?  
Brad: Nah, we only have a few days of filming left and today is just us lowly bit part actors lol

He was right, Lizzie realised suddenly. Even Tom had mentioned more than once that the whole thing would be done by Thanksgiving, which was only seven days away. She made a mental note to ask Maya what plans her and Tom had made.

Lizzie: I forgot you will all be out of our hair this week.

Brad: Well our mutual ‘friend’ will be, me, I might stick around for a while.

Don’t.

She didn't’;t even realise that she’d said the word out loud the thought was so sudden. But Lizzie knew without a doubt that deep down she didn’t want Brad to stay in town once production finished.

Lizzie: trust me, there’s NOTHING here in the winter. Just ice and assholes, other than that, nothing happens.

There was no text for a while and Lizzie hoped that she’d gotten the message across diplomatically enough. She knew damn well what he meant when he talked about staying and she didn’t want to give him false hope.

Brad: Subject change, are you going to the wrap party?

Lizzie: Half the city was invited so yes. What about you?

Brad: Well it's sure to be awkward but I’m determined to. After all, Jack’s the one who should be ashamed, not me. If he doesn’t want to see me there he can leave and hide in his hotel room.

Lizzie: Now that would make the night perfect lol

Brad: Gotta go, we just got called. TTYL

The wrap party had been a bone of contention for Lizzie since the invitations arrived. Her mother and Lydia were over the moon, naturally, but when Lizzie had suggested she stay home with Ben she had been vetoed across the board. Reluctantly she’d had to agree to go, even though she wanted to avoid a great many of the people who would be there.

Still, maybe the night would be bearable with Brad and Charlie there. Maybe.

As expected, the snow had eased off by mid-morning and would be melted away by late afternoon. Maya had arrived at lunch, arms stacked with books and looking all flustered.

“Can I study here? If I go home Mom is just going to distract me and I’ll get nothing done, I’m behind already.”

Lizzie couldn’t say no to Maya, even if her presence meant that her planned day of solitude had gone out the window. Leaving her sister with her law books spread out all over the dining table, Lizzie had pottered around cleaning the apartment and hauling the Christmas boxes down from the storage room. Chloe was strict about the tree not going up until December and Colin had never allowed one. This year she was going to have it her way, Christmas was her favorite time of year.

It was dark by five and finally Maya shut her books.

“I’m done. All caught up, thanks Lizzie.”

“No probs, are you hungry?”

“Famished, I should get home for dinner.”

“I’ll rustle something up, stay and relax for a while.”

Lizzie could see Maya’s forehead wrinkle nd she knew what was bothering her.

“You have plans with Tom?”

“Just dinner with him and Jack.” Maya looked guilty.

Taking a deep breath, Lizzie made the decision.

“Invite them here.”

The thankful look on Maya’s face was worth any irritation that Lizzie felt at the prospect of Jack being in her apartment. Besides there were just a days left and she was, as always, willing to put up with anything if it meant Maya’s happiness.

Lizzie busied herself in the kitchen, making sure she was busy when the men in question arrived. She could hear their voices, the difference between their accents always so clear. Despite herself, she enjoyed the burrs and lilts when Jack spoke and loathed that she actually found his voice quite comforting.

“Could ye use a hand?”

Speak of the devil and he’ll pop his head into your kitchen.

“I’m actually good.” Lizzie didn’t even look up from chopping the carrots.

“Are ye sure? I think those two want some time alone, if ye ken?”

You could have stayed home, she thought bitterly.

“Fine, can you chop these for me?” she sighed.

“What are makin?” he took the knife from her hand and got to work.

“A coconut curry, nothing special.”

“Sounds better than McDonalds again.”

Lizzie couldn’t help but snicker. Whiting wasn’t known as a hub for the discerning diner, and their McDonald's even had a Facebook page declaring it the worst in existence. For good reason.

“You’re gambling with your life eating at that shithole.”

“Take it up wi’ the young’un, he’s go a stomach made o cast iron.”

“And apparently the taste to go with it if he willingly eats that crap to begin with.”

“Well, to be fair, the lad’s no had a lot of experience past uni, and ye know how tha goes.”

“I remember. I existed on a diet of ramen, takeout and toast. Oh and chocolate, naturally.”

“Naturally.” he chuckled, sliding the veggies into the skillet at Lizzie’s beckoning.

The conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence as the meal came together. Jack seemed able to anticipate her needs and they worked together like a well-oiled machine.

“It’s almost ready, let me check the rice.”

Lizzie lifted the lid on the pot and held her hand out for a fork. Jack handed one to her, fingers sliding over hers as he placed it in her palm. The jolt that hit her made her catch her breath, hand shaking as she gripped the utensil. The last time he’d touched her this hadn’t happened, but she’d been upset and his touch had been comforting in the face of Colin.

This. This was trouble.

Lizzie waited until Jack went to set the table before she let out her breath, her hand still tingling and her body far too warm for comfort.

What the fuck had just happened?  
JACK

His hand was twitching, literally twitching as he flexed his fingers. He’d seen Elizabeth take a deep breath and he knew that she felt it too. The attraction that simmered was white hot and coursing through his veins and it was all he could do to slow his breathing. Jack barely even paid attention to what he was doing, his mind wandering to far more interesting thoughts.

Stop it! He muttered to himself before his body betrayed his thoughts.

Jack forced himself to calm down before going back into the kitchen. Elizabeth had her back to him as she transferred food to serving dishes. He took a moment to appreciate her, even all covered up she was a treat. For a brief moment he allowed himself to imagine walking up behind her, lifting her braid so he could press his lips to her neck. In his mind she leaned back into him with a smile as his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her as he whispered in her ear.

“Can you get the others?”

His bubble burst and reality came into sharp focus as he called out to Tom and Maya, taking a serving dish from the counter. He gave himself credit for rallying well during dinner, telling stories from different sets that had the women howling with laughter. There were moments he noticed that Elizabeth would have her brows furrowed in confusion, and he definitely noticed her watching him when she thought he wasn’t looking.

Bolstered, he not only dragged Tom to make sure they did the cleaning up, but he also broached the subject of the Christmas boxes in the corner.

“Lizzie always was gung ho about getting Christmas up and moving.” Maya laughed. “Mom would never even let her look at tinsel until December.”

“I’m all fer decorating early ma’self.” Jack shrugged, noting Elizabeth’s surprise. “There’s summan magical about Christmas an I think the longer ye can experience it each year the better.”

He didn’t add that he hadn’t decorated his flat since Lisa buggered off and even then it had been all her, designed purely to be shown off and with no warmth or charm. There had been no magic to it.

“Lizzie! Why don’t we do it now?” Tom suddenly piped up with excitement.

Good boy, Jack thought as he murmured his agreement to the idea.

“Well I guess we could.” she seemed uncertain at first but he could see the excitement brimming in her eyes.

That was all it took. Within minutes the boxes had been dragged into the center of the room and the corner emptied.

“I prefer real trees,” Elizabeth sighed she cut open the huge box containing the tree. “But I couldn’t justify the expense when I already had this.”

As it was, her fake tree was impressively real-looking, and large. Jack could see that it had been packed away for quite some time as even the scent packets in with it had lost their smell. It was a lovely tree but in the back of his mind all he could think was that he deserved the real thing.

Maya lit pine-scented candles, while Tom turned on a Christmas playlist. Jack helped Elizabeth piece the tree together, pulling and fluffing the branches until it looked perfect. For the next hour or so, lights and tinsel were hung, and box after box of baubles opened. Many were the typical colorful glass balls, glittering stars, pretty but impersonal. The last couple of boxes were different. He watched the sisters as they lifted each one out, some hand made and some old and well loved. There was even a box of ornaments that were nothing but Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, a wonderland of pop culture. Jack’s personal favorite was a Darth Vader in an ugly sweater who spoke about presents and Sithmas every time someone moved past him.

“When did you get all these, Lizzie?” Maya was hanging a golden Snitch beside a sparkly Merida.

Tom was unboxing a Captain America and jack was playing with a shark that played the Jaws theme.

“I’ve just bought them at sale over the years, Mom never wanted them on the tree and Colin…” Jack watched her visibly gather herself. “He wasn’t big on Christmas.”

It occured to Jack that this might well be the first time Elizabeth had her own tree, in her own home, and he wasn’t sure how it was making him feel. Shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts he handed her the shark, watching her while she hung it. After it all was done and the boxes carted back to storage, Jack stood back looking at what they’d done.. The tree was a hodge podge, with no apparent style or theme and he had to admit he thought it was perfect. The result was warm, inviting and somehow uniquely Elizabeth. This apartment wasn’t designed to please anyone but her and it worked, in the fact that one felt so much at home here.

His flat in London was pathetically sterile, had been even during the time he shared it with Lisa. She’d been all for the ultra modern, with white everything and the place had looked like a damn photoshoot. He’d been afraid to even sit on the fucking couch. In the year that she’d been gone the only thing he’d done with the place was buy a couch and a tv, most of the time that was where he slept too. If he was with a woman it had always been at her place or a hotel, somewhere that he could make a quick, discrete exit. There had been no morning afters, no desire to have a woman in his space.

Until now.

Elizabeth would hate his place, he knew by looking at her jewelled throws and little knick knacks, and he’d be embarrassed to take her there. But here, he could see something more than taking her to bed and sneaking out while she was asleep. He could see snuggling on the couch as a movie played, he could see cooking together again.

He could see a future and it scared him to death.

It wasn’t possible, least of all with her and all of this had to be some weird side-effect of being in close quarters to the woman he wanted to shag and couldn’t. There was no future with a woman who lived in a different country and whose whole family belonged on some trashy American talk show. Not to mention that he was never ever going to put himself in that position again. He could never allow himself to be blindsided and betrayed again - especially when the woman in question was already friendly with Wick.

While the others dug into dessert, Jack excused himself to the bathroom, finding that he needed a few moments to be alone with his thoughts. Strolling down the hallway he ran his fingers along the wall, taking in the gallery of photos. Most were of Elizabeth and her family or friends. He chuckled to himself at one of her and Charlie as young teens, skinny and awkward looking, their teeth in braces. Further along, closer to her bedroom door were two framed documents. With some surprise he realised they were diplomas, from Northwestern University. Somehow he’d known in the back of his mind that she’d been to school, something he’d overheard maybe. He hadn’t considered a place like Northwestern, or that ‘gone to school’ meant a Masters degree in History.

He was honestly taken aback. What on earth was she doing working in a bakery with a masters degree? Jack couldn’t wrap his head around it, or around why the hell he cared so much what she did or didn’t do with her life. Splashing his face with water in the bathroom, Jack tried to shake some sense into himself. With a resigned sigh he instead gave into curiosity and opened the bathroom cabinet, all the while telling himself that he was a despicable human being.

“What on earth?” he murmured aloud as he took in the row of prescription bottles on the shelf.

His brow furrowed as he read the labels; Hydroxyzine, Lexapro, Amitriptyline, Naproxen - that one, he knew was for pain. The others though, he had no idea what they were but it didn’t bode well. Whatever was wrong with Elizabeth, she did a good job of hiding it, he’d certainly seen no signs of illness or weakness.

“That was a nice night, even you have to admit Jack.” Tom remarked later as they walked back to the hotel.

“Aye it was. Say, do ye know if Elizabeth is sick or summan?”

“She looked fine to me, a bit tired maybe.”

Jack just shrugged, surely if it were something like say, cancer, Maya would have mentioned something to Tom. Whatever it was it apparently wasn’t bad enough to cause anyone any real concern.

Again, why did he even fucking care?

Short answer, he didn’t. The woman had gotten under his skin, yes but for no reason other than him being horny, wanting to scratch the itch. Anything else was simply sentimentality, maybe a touch of loneliness.

“Nuthun, jus thought she seemed a bit, off, probably jus tried like ye said.”

“Awe how sweet of you to care you big softie.” Tom laughed, despite the dark look that Jack shot him.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole.” Jack muttered, shoving Tom good-naturedly.

As much as Jack hated to admit it, Tom had a point. He did care, despite his better judgement and every argument against it. He cared. Very much.

And he was miserable.


End file.
